Before I can have any joy in being alone with God I must have learned not to fear being alone with myself.
Shrinking from any deep self-scrutiny is by no means an uncommon thing, and often goes far to explain the feverish restlessness with which a world-loving heart plunges into perpetual rounds of gaieties and dissipations; they serve as an escape from troublesome questions about the soul, and help to get rid of the clamors of conscience.
... G. H. Knight (1835-1917), In the Secret of His Presence
(Of course, being alone with God can also help one to become more at ease with being alone with oneself.) |
IS
26:7-9, 12, 16-19; PS 102:13-14AB AND 15, 16-18, 19-21
MT 11:28-30
Jesus said:
"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."
Reflection on the Scriptures |
In the first reading we are told that the way of the just is clear. God makes it clear what needs to be done, and the path is level without obstacles. It’s that easy to be just. Just follow the path. The way is harder for the unjust. There are punishments from God and the unjust suffer. But the suffering can be like labor pains, if they change their ways and
follow the Lord. The woman in labor suffers, but then she has a reward at the end. The child is worth all the pain. The unjust can learn from the punishment and can change to follow God and become just. If they change and follow the path of God, they will gain reward after their suffering. They will have a new life in God. The path of the just is clear and smooth. And those who follow the Lord have an added benefit – life everlasting. The “dead shall live, their corpses shall
rise.”
Jesus fulfills this idea in the Gospel. Jesus said: "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."
- by Tamora Whitney
Revelations of Divine
Love - by Julian of Norwich
Fourteenth Revelation, Chapter 51
“He is the Head, and we be His
members.” “Therefore our Father nor may nor will more blame assign to us than to His own Son, precious and worthy Christ” There was a treasure in the earth which the Lord loved. I marvelled and thought what it might be, and I was answered in mine understanding: It is a food which is delectable and
pleasant to the Lord. For I saw the Lord sit as a man, and I saw neither meat nor drink wherewith to serve him. This was one marvel. Another marvel was that this majestic Lord had no servant but one, and him he sent out. I beheld, thinking what manner of labour it might be that the Servant should do. And then I understood that he should do the greatest labour and hardest travail: that is, he should be a gardener, delve and dyke, toil and sweat, and turn the earth upside-down, and seek the
deepness, and water the plants in time. And in this he should continue his travail and make sweet floods to run, and noble and plenteous fruits to spring, which he should bring afore the Lord to serve him therewith to his desire. And he should never turn again till he had prepared this food all ready as he knew that it pleased the Lord. And then he should take this food, with the drink in the food, and bear it full worshipfully afore the Lord. And all this time the Lord should sit in the same
place, abiding his Servant whom he sent out.
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