WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 13, 2023
WEDNESDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT YEAR B
ST LUCY, V.M (MEMORIAL)
Isaiah 40:25-31
Matthew 11:28-30
LIVING WITH LESS WORRIES, LESS BURDEN AND LESS DIFFICULTIES IN LIFE.
So, what is the solution that seems to reduce, or manage the burdens, agonies, worries and difficulties of life? The statement of Jesus in today’s gospel is very consoling, accommodating and encouraging in confronting the burdens, difficulties and worries of life.
The first thing he tells us is “come to me”. What does it mean? To come to Jesus is to draw near to him, to understand him, to know him better, to rely on him, to live with his ideals and follow his ways.
And the reason why we must come to him is very clear and unambiguous. He want to offer us rest from all our strivings and difficulties, from all our labours and burdens of life. The assurance of this rest in the midst of our numerous and uncountable and uncontrollable earthly burdens and striving is predicated on our coming closer to him. He did not deny the existence of human struggles, human agonies, difficulties of living and suffering. But he knows them more than everyone else, Why?
Because Jesus has gone through the same road that we are going through. He was a man, lived like us, knows the hardship of life, witnessed to the fullest the journey of life. He lived like us in this life. He has felt everything we are feeling today. He is in a better situation to tell us what to do, how to navigate the terrains of life. But most importantly, he is also God, who sees beyond the comprehension of man. By living our life as human, he was sinless and faultless.
By calling us therefore to come to him, he is ready to teach us, rule us, guide us and lead us beyond the darkness, difficulties and burdens of life. He knows those burdens, and triumphed over them. His call therefore is one that is real, practical and authentic.
So what are we to expect when we open up to him, or draw closer to him, live in him and make our home with him. He promises that our burden will become light and easy not removed entirely. We can manage it, we can accommodate the burden of life, we can navigate comfortably the terrains of life’s journey and win the victory of life. His grace will be enough for us. His love will cover us, life will be glorious for us.
He did not promise us a burdenless life, or life without anxieties or worries, or life without pains and struggles, or life devoid of its sufferings. But rather life that its burden will be manageable and pleasurable, life that is filled with thorns yet comfortable, life that is burdensome yet a sweet yoke. It is only Jesus that can do it.
And to accept this life we need to turn ourselves to him, to accept his ideals, to rely on him and to give him our all. It will no longer be our burden but his, no longer our difficulties but his, no longer our problems or sorrow, or even pains but his. It is a divine exchange that we are called to make. Give him all that is yours and he will give you all that is his!! When this is done, life becomes easy and burden becomes light.
God our Father, your Son Jesus carried our burden, difficulties and pains and exchanged them with ours. Grant that we may accept his offer to stay closer to him, to rely on him, to trust in him and live in him. Grant that our burdens be light and easy, as you walk with us in this journey of life and take over our life to rule and guide us. Bring us joy, peace and happiness even as we daily accept and manage our existential burdens and life struggle you assign to us through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
