Reading 1
Is 40:25-31
To whom can you liken me as an equal?
says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high
and see who has created these things:
He leads out their army and numbers them,
calling them all by name.
By his great might and the strength of his power
not one of them is missing!
Why, O Jacob, do you say,
and declare, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD,
and my right is disregarded by my God”?
Do you not know
or have you not heard?
The LORD is the eternal God,
creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint nor grow weary,
and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny.
He gives strength to the fainting;
for the weak he makes vigor abound.
Though young men faint and grow weary,
and youths stagger and fall,
They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength,
they will soar as with eagles’ wings;
They will run and not grow weary,
walk and not grow faint.
Gospel
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.”
Meditation: Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me … and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
Why did Jesus invite the people to rest in him? Did he see the weariness in their faces or their frustration at not seeing any fruit from their labors? Did he notice the burdens they were carrying that were threatening to overwhelm them? How many of us have felt this way!
Jesus understands our need for rest. After all, as a traveling rabbi, he often experienced fatigue and difficulties. His physical tiredness came from walking miles in the heat, surrounded by crowds of people wanting something from him. But he also felt a spiritual burden, knowing that ultimately he would be rejected by many of these same people, as well as Israel’s religious leaders, and condemned to a painful death.
How did Jesus deal with all this stress? By going away by himself to pray—sometimes all night long (Luke 6:12). Jesus knew that his mission required that he do the hard work of preaching and healing, but he also knew that it required time apart with God. It required time in God’s presence so that he could continue on the path laid out for him.
God wants us to do his will, and that includes doing his work. But we have to remember that we can’t do anything without first receiving God’s rest, comfort, and grace. For many of us this poses a challenge. It means putting aside our long to-do list, postponing at least for a while the pressing demands of the day. It also means coming to the Lord in a spirit of humility. Especially when we are used to being active and self-sufficient, it can be hard to admit our weakness and neediness. Finally, it means trusting that God will give us what we need, along with the grace to receive it.
Today, take time to rest quietly in Jesus. Don’t say a word—just relax in his presence, and soak up his love. Perhaps he has a word of encouragement, or perhaps he wants to give you a renewed sense of hope or a new vision for your life. Just be open and eager to accept whatever he has for you. Who knows? He may even give you the strength to “soar as with eagles’ wings” (Isaiah 40:31)!
“Lord, I rest in you. Come and fill me up!”
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