Our Lady of Lourdes Church and School

"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." (Mt 11:28-30)

This passage is one which I pray regularly, primarily because it is usually read during the celebration of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. In that context, it is intended to encourage the person receiving the sacrament to remember that they can entrust their cares and their struggles to Jesus. Jesus himself knows all too well our struggles and our pains in life, having experienced them for himself in so many different ways. Every burden of life that was his, every care that weighed upon him, every illness he experienced or worry that knotted his brow gave Jesus insight into all that we carry in our own lives. His relationship with the Father brought him to understand that the Father’s care for him was absolute, and he teaches us that the Father’s care for us is also absolute. The comfort that such reassurance brings us can be great indeed, especially in times of trouble.

That care and concern, that love and attentiveness is profound in its implications. I have shared before that there are times in my life and ministry when I am inclined to no small amount of self-reflection and that in that self-reflection, I can be quite self-critical. This passage from today’s gospel becomes, then, a good reminder to “let go and let God”. By this I mean that the passage gives me good comfort and a reminder to refrain from self-judgment that is unhealthy or unhelpful.

Everyone who is self-reflective, I have no doubt, has to deal with that temptation to self-judgment which can go too far. We are, all of us, sinners. But we are more than our sin and this is important to remember, difficult though it may be at times. Not only are we sinners, but we are redeemed in Christ. Whatever burdens come to us as a consequence of our failings or our human weakness, Jesus reminds us that we are not alone. This scripture calls us to remember that Jesus will not place a burden on our shoulders that would be heavier than the load we might place there for ourselves. In my experience, regular churchgoers tend to be harder, or tougher on themselves than I suspect God ever would be. Then of course, I could be completely off-base. I make no observation, however, when it comes to those who do not have a habit or practice of self-reflection.

The gospels affirm over and over again that one of the primary attributes of Jesus is compassion. I would go so far as to say that it is compassion which distinguishes Christianity from the other faith traditions of the world. I say this fully aware that many people are inclined to think that it is the Church that judges people in their lives, yet that has not been my own experience, and nor does it seem to be borne out in experience. I would only suggest that it is often a misunderstanding of those who are somehow disconnected from Church, or who are rarely involved in church life, that the church “judges”. We are all called to engage the consequences or results from the choices we make in life, but judgment is God’s alone. I may not care to deal with the results of a choice I make, or feel that somehow the difficulties my choice brings to me are being inflicted upon me by a cruel world, a judgmental Church or even a capricious god. However, I am grateful to say that even when I have been tempted to think such in my own life, I can only witness to God’s compassion, even amidst the challenges and hardships my choices have brought to me. That said, don’t expect me to be so understanding or happy about it when in the midst of a particular struggle or trial! On a good day, I can remember how good God is. But on a bad day, it can take me more than a little while to remember that goodness.