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Message of the Day
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Every light that comes from Holy Scripture comes from the light of grace. This is why foolish, proud and learned people are blind even in the light, because the light is clouded by their own pride and selfish love. They read the Scripture literally, not with understanding. They have let go of the light by which Scripture was formed and proclaimed.
- Catherine of Sienna -
(Pray for the grace to truly hear God speaking to you through Scripture.)
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Readings of the Day
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Is 40:25-31; Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and
10
Mt 11:28-30
Jesus said to the crowds:
"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden
light."
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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“Take My yoke upon your shoulders and learn from Me.” —Matthew 11:29
Because God doesn’t grow weary (Is 40:28), and because we belong to God (Rm 14:7-8) and abide in God (Jn 15:4), His Word assures us that we won’t grow weary when we do His will (Is 40:29-31). God gives us strength as we bear the burden we are meant to bear, which is His yoke (Mt 11:29). The strength we need, and the rest we need, comes as we do His will. Jesus came to
remove the oppressive yoke of our sins, which burdens and weighs us down. He replaces that sinful yoke with His yoke, what He terms “My burden” (Mt 11:30). Jesus shares the yoke with us and even calls our burden “His” burden. Thus we “find rest” in bearing the burdens of this yoke by coming to Jesus, Who is right beside us in the other loop of the yoke. We can’t physically distance ourselves from Him, since He is yoked right next to us. However, as many married couples can appreciate, someone
can be right next to you, yet a million miles away. Therefore, we find rest by being present to Jesus as we approach Him with humility, gratitude, and our full attention. We have a choice to make in bearing Jesus’ yoke. We can regard it as a cross to bear; we might say “What a burden!” (Mal 1:13) In this mindset, we might be following Jesus, but complaining and grumbling like the Israelites in the
desert (see Nm 14:2ff). Alternatively, we can come to Jesus (Mt 11:28), accept His strength and help, and willingly go wherever He takes us. If we do this, we will find rest, even in the midst of bearing His burden. Prayer: Father, may I always “strive to enter into [Your] rest” (Heb 4:11) and thus find Your strength. Promise: “He pardons all your iniquities, He heals all your ills.” —Ps 103:3 Presentation Ministries
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Spiritual Reading
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-Readings from Jesus Alive in Our Lives, by Philip St. Romain. Ave Maria Press, 1985. Contemplative Ministries, Inc. 2011. Part Two, Encountering the Risen Christ Chapter 7: The Cosmic Christ, part
II - Selected quotes Now what I just described about Saints is really what the Church as a whole is supposed to be as well, and what it will, in fact, be one day after the general resurrection. We’re not there yet, of course; many of us still have very much of an independent,
self-assertive mind and will, which makes us an imperfect vehicle for Christ’s ongoing work. We love him and want to serve him, all right, but we also want to have our cake and eat it, too. That’s just the way things go for awhile, maybe a long while. Christ never gives up on us, however, educating us through the “school of hard knocks” to learn ever more deeply how to surrender our lives unto his care. Even those outside the Church are on this “spiritual journey,”
although I’m convinced that things go much better when one is more explicitly committed to being nourished by the channels of graced made available in and through the Church.
Cosmic love/compassion is not the only way we might experience all things in Christ. As a living Being, Christ possesses intelligence and awareness as well, and sometimes our knowing or awareness might also seem to be
eclipsed by his. When we are blessed to share so deeply in his intelligence, we are in possession of divine truth and wisdom. How this works is beyond the comprehension of the human mind; it is as if the mind participates in a larger Mind, and knows what that Mind knows without studying or reflecting. You have only to think of a question and the answer is given; you shift your attention to problem, and the divine’s own “solution” presents itself. You know without knowing
how you know what you know, but there is nonetheless no denying that you do know what you know, and with a certainty that often escapes us in our human studies in deliberations. What’s truly amazing is that it can sometimes seem as though God is granting this blessing not simply as a charism for the building up of the community, but for your own enjoyment. And as with cosmic love, it seems that such experiences are not limited to Saints and mystics. Many members of Christ’s
Body are graced with this kind of knowing at times, even though briefly. Can you relate to this?
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