“Come to me all who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest.”
Three nights in a row now, I woke with a start from the craziest dreams… well really they were nightmares. Each time my eyes popped open, I felt completely unnerved… even though, try as I might, I couldn’t remember or articulate the details of the dreams. Instead, I was left with just the fear and unease they brought. And then when daybreak came, each time, I felt far from rested.
Even if we are seemingly getting enough sleep during this time… many of us are far from feeling truly rested right now. Under the surface of the day to day lie so many questions, so much uncertainty of what the future holds. Perhaps even without our recognizing it, we are carrying the weight of everything and it’s seeping into the hidden corners of our dreams and leaving us more restless than we know.
So maybe today’s Gospel is just what we need to hear right now. The Lord says “Come to me all who labor and are burdened.” He promises us rest. And oh Lord, do we need rest!
This isn’t a simple promise, however. In the words of this promise, there lies a challenge. We are to find rest through obedience to the Word (the Word Jesus).
But what does the Word say?
He says to care for one another.
He says to love one another.
He says to seek justice and work for righteousness for all.
He says to invite everyone to the table.
He says to put others first.
It is through obedience to these commands that the rest we seek will come.
So let us pray this Sunday for one another – that we may receive all the grace we need to lift the burdens of others so that together we may rest in His peace.
