Readings:
Isaiah 26.7-9;12;16-19
Matthew 11.28-30
Today’s Gospel is a gentle invitation from Jesus to come to Him and find rest from the burdens of life. Often throughout his public Ministry Jesus bids his disciples to ‘Come aside and rest a while’ Mark 6. He makes the same offer to each of us today. At times, the burdens of life can appear crushing – the flood victims flooded out twice (some three times) – this year; the bush fire victims; sickness, particularly those with terminal illness; financial worries; and so on yet in all of this Jesus is there saying to all of us ‘Come and find rest my burden is light’
If I find my burden heavy or impossible to carry it is not from God for Gods burden is LIGHT – Jesus says so. However sometimes when we are in the midst of suffering or worry it is not easy to find God or even to believe that God dives a care about me and what I am going through. It is at times such as these that all we can do is trust and have faith that eventually God will make our path straight, and smooth the way for us Isaiah 26 for all our hope is in him As Robert Browning once wrote God is in heaven all’s right with thew World. Pippa’s Song
As we reflect on both readings today let us pray for all those who have difficulty realising that the burden God has asked them to carry is light for their God is there to help them carry it. Their God is their Simon of Cyrene
Fr. Jim Elmore CP a community member at St.Brigid’s Marrickville.”