Reflection for 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time

There goes Jesus again – talking about the little ones that were part of last week’s Gospel, reminding us that we find wisdom and truth in the little ones. If I asked you, you could probably tell me about people you know who are carrying burdens. Perhaps some of those burdens are your own; trying to stretch out paychecks that never seem to go quite far enough; working on marriage relationships that seem to be breaking up. We have seen in the past months that many are unemployed or under-employed and are looking for a better job that will give them a reliable and adequate source of income. We may know others who are waiting for a biopsy report on certain abnormal cells that are growing in their body, filled with fear that they may have cancer. Or they're trying to provide for and shape the characters of their children, children that are so influenced by all that is wrong in our culture. Many parents feel they are taken for granted, not appreciated, and that they are simply being used while getting nothing back out of life for what they've put into it. Many veterans who came home from war wonder, at times, why they came home, and others didn’t. As we celebrate Independence Day this weekend, our country certainly has heavy burdens – of Covid 19, racism, the rising deficit, lack of jobs, medicare and social security threatened. It’s a wonder we don’t all have sore backs!

All of us are laboring under burdens. In addition to the few things I’ve just mentioned, many folks have piled on to themselves burdens of self­-doubt, self-blame, shame, and guilt. Then they say to themselves: "Somehow, all of this is my fault." "If I were a better wife my husband would notice me more and be more sensitive, considerate and loving toward me.” "If I tried harder, I would have a better job or position where I work, and we wouldn't be so strapped for money." "If I were more loving, my teenagers wouldn't be so hostile." And on and on it goes, with those put-me-down tapes constantly playing in our minds.

Today’s gospel contains what I think are some of the most beautiful and comforting words of Jesus - "Come to me, all you who are weary 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." On the surface, these words have the element of the absurd. How can a burden be light? Burdens, by nature, are heavy. But they can become lighter, Jesus says, when they are borne in union with him. A yoke is a harness made for two. When we unite ourselves with Jesus, he walks with us, he makes the burden lighter. Those who can come to church each week to be nourished by God’s Word and the Eucharist, so that Jesus is with us throughout the coming week. All of us take time to pray and to reflect, reminding ourselves that Jesus walks with us.

Jesus says to each of us today: “Give me all your concerns, your many difficulties, and trust me. Turn it all over to me – your frustrations of being cooped up during the pandemic, your feelings of being overwhelmed with financial burden, the challenges of sickness, the down times in your marriage, the boring aspects of your job, your continual concern for your children, your frustrations when it seems your parents just never understand. Turn it all over to me and be at peace.”

Does that mean that Jesus will take away all the pain? All the feelings of grief and loneliness? All the financial burdens and challenges in our marriage? All the parents rules we don’t like? No – but he will bear these things with us and make the burden lighter. If our country and our leaders truly lived Gospel values, we would still have challenges but our priorities in finding solutions to those challenges would be different.

I think one of the most important phrases Jesus says is “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” I think that’s a challenge for me at times – to be meek and humble of heart – to realize that it all doesn’t revolve around me – to admit that I can’t carry it all myself – to humbly let go and let God. Jesus is here today with open arms. Open your arms and embrace him. Give him your burdens, your worries, your grief, your fears, your concerns. Give them all to him – and you will find rest.

If you have a brief faith reflection on today’s reading that you would like to share, please send it to me at deaconruss@holyspiritunoh.org.