Reading of the holy gospel according to Saint Matthew (11,25-30):
At that time, Jesus exclaimed: «I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and have revealed them to simple people. Yes, Father, it seemed better to you that way. Everything has been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wants to reveal him. Come to me all you who are tired and burdened, and I will relieve you. Carry my yoke and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find your rest. For my yoke is bearable and my burden is light.” Lord’s word.
Although the evangelists remind us that Jesus used to pray, they have rarely told us the content of his prayer. That is why the text that we have just proclaimed is so precious; in him we find not only the words and sentiments with which Jesus, in prayer, addressed himself to our God, his Father; we also hear an invitation to share rest and teachingaddressed to all who feel tired and overwhelmed.
The jesus prayer is motivated by the fact that a few, simple people who follow him, were accepting God and they opened their lives to his will, and this filled the heart of Jesus with joy and his mouth with prayers. For the good Jesus was not too good, and to the wise he did not seem sufficiently understood: only the humble gave him credit, knew how to value him and felt strong enough to follow him; only the poor became rich hearing his words and witnessing his miracles.
Faced with the incredulity and indifference of the majority, Jesus feels grateful for the faith that he has found in a few, who have accepted his message without being scandalized by it. They are the reason for Jesus’ prayer, and in it Jesus reveals his most intimate secret: the God of simple people, the God who sees fit to make the naive and knowledgeable to the ignorant wise, is the Father of Jesus. Because there were people so simple, so simple, that Jesus could express himself as Son of God he was and feel recognized with his Father.
Jesus wishes to make of those who, due to his simplicity, welcomed him without qualms, disciples without burdens; he wants them to learn from him to rest from his fatigues; So they know who he is. But he does not hide from them that, together with him, the difficulties will not disappear; Jesus does not deceive the people who follow him, however simple they may be: he speaks to them of a yoke and a burden. There is therefore a burden and a relief for his own; Jesus does not free his disciples from obedience or the cross, he only promises them that they will not succumb to his demands and that he will not regret being obedient or carrying their own cross.
Fatigue and tiredness are never a reason to abandon him; on the contrary, the one who feels overwhelmed or disappointed is precisely he who has received the invitation of Jesus. If, out of fear of the burden or fear of his yoke, we do not follow him, we will continue to feel the burden and unreasonableness of life; Jesus is solace and rest only for those who have him as a meek and humble teacher. This is our opportunity and it will be our reward, if we insist on learning from him: his love cannot be annoying nor his oppressive yoke. What are we waiting for to choose him as the only Master and Lord?
- Happiness does not come from the environment
- Life is like a box of chocolates
- God will never let you down
- The goodness and joy that are sown are more than recovered
#Sunday #July #Cycle