December 9, 2015
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.”
Having
just labored through the facilitation and planning of 5 retreats in the past
month and a half, this gospel nuzzles its way right into my very tired being. I
write this reflection from the hospital where I have been since Monday with my
dad who has been laboring with renal failure for days now. The burdens of this
world seem very heavy, but when I lie my head down on the lap of my beloved,
Jesus, I do indeed find rest, much needed rest. I find rest as I sit, just sit
with my family here in this place of healing. I find rest as my dad is treated
by saintly people whose vocation is to provide comfort to the weary. I find
rest in all the visitations of my precious family and friends as they bring
goodies of food and smiles and Eucharist. I find rest when dad calls home with
good news about test results. I find rest when I realize how blessed I am to
have a strong and abiding faith. I find rest when I feel, literally feel, the
prayers of people lifting us up. I find rest in just being here with no agenda,
no to do list, no expectations. I find rest when my teenagers text me on their
breaks at school asking how my dad is. I find rest in renewed relationships. I
find rest in Christ. As I rest, I understand with full heart and mind that his
yoke is indeed easy and his burden light.
I
want to include a song sung by my girls on retreat in the chapel at Whispering
Winds this past weekend. The line I want you to focus on is “my soul will REST
in your embrace, for I am yours, and you are mine.”
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