I will give you rest
Matthew 11, 28
Come to me all you who are weary and overburdened
Yesterday I took a tumble on the street. There was a greasy patch surrounded by bright yellow cones, but I didn’t see them. Children fall all the time of course but as adults we are not so used to it - and have further to fall! A group gathered around me and helped me to my feet and two of them stayed with me for a while to see if I was ok. Then as I limped away I bumped into a parishioner who quickly took me under her wing and kindly walked me home. It was a minor and - I hate to admit - melodramatic incident, but it serves to illustrate how the goodness of human nature can quickly surface at any time of need, no matter how great or small.
In the gospel today we find one of my favourite passages in the whole bible; Jesus utters those soothing words:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11, 28-30.
These are all the words there are today in the gospel reading - short and to the point. There is no need really to add anything else. Whenever we really fall in life Jesus is there to catch us and to birng us back to health. He does it through others too; acts of love by people in our life puts the "flesh" on God's presence for us. They bring about his healing balm - even on the slippery streets of west London.
A reflection written by Gianni Notarianni O.S.A., St Augustine's Hammersmith, London, England
Follow the Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.), Province of England and Scotland
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Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. Col 4:6