“Not letting anxieties of our life dishearten us; instead responding to the Invitation of the Lord and being at peace in life!”
(Based on Isa 40:25-31 and Mt 11:28-30 – Wednesday of the 2nd Week in Advent, Year B)
An old lady was sitting in the park – all alone and dejected.
A young boy – who was sitting on the opposite bench – and was doing some writing work, had been constantly watching this lady who was brooding over some worry.
Finally, after a while, he stopped writing and enquired:
“Madam, I have been observing you. From morning, you have been quite worried.
What’s the matter? Maybe there is some way I can help you
The old lady looked at him and replied: “You know, my son, in life, I have been worried about so many things in life… but most of them never happened!”
The young man was surprised to hear that – “troubled about things, that never really happened!”
So he asked again, “Then why are you troubled now?”
She replied, with a tinge of remorse: “I am worried as to why did I unnecessarily worry so much in my
life!”
Funny, isn’t it?
But, are we sometimes like this old lady?
Too much worried and disturbed in life…
… sometimes (or perhaps, very often) even about things that have not happened in life!
The call of the Gospel is an invitation by Jesus to “cast all our worries and burdens” on Him.
We read in the Gospel today, the assuring words of Jesus: “Come to me, all you who are weary and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Mt 11: 28)
Jesus came into the world, primarily as a Saviour!
He is in deep love with us!
“…You are precious in my eyes and I love You!” (Is 43:4).
The meaning of the name “Jesus” Itself is that…
… GOD SAVES!
As a Beloved Lover, He constantly tugs the strings of our hearts and beckons us to Himself – wanting us to experience His Saving Love!
He extends His cordial and warmest invitation to each one of us who are weary and heavy-burdened!
The Greek word for WEARY is “Kopiao”…
… which means to toil and become weary to the point of exhaustion! .
WEARY not only refers to the daily physical strains and struggles we undergo in life, but is also…
… the internal exhaustion caused by seeking Divine Truth through mere Human Wisdom.
… the external burden caused by futile peripheral efforts to seek the Divinity.
Many of us, very often, reach the point of exhaustion and fatigue by our everyday works and in our striving for salvation.
However, today, the Lord calls all of us – to experience His Resting Presence!
“Behold, I stand at the door and Knock! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me”” (Rev 3:20).
“Experiencing His Resting Presence” also means “to learn from Him”…
… especially learning to be Humble and Gentle like Him! (Mt 11: 29)
A proud heart robs the person of spiritual insights
It renders a person to look only to oneself; the dependence on the Lord is lost!
A harsh (violent/tough/annoyed/wrathful) heart steals the person of “being at peace”
It renders a person to look only at the negativities of life; the attitude of being grateful to God is lost!
Today, let us give heed to the call of the Lord…
… to “Rest in His Presence”
And thus to learn to be more “gentle and humble”
Many of us might question: How can I “Rest in His Presence”
Many of us might counter: Is it really possible to learn to be more “gentle and humble”?
“Rest in His Presence” can be…
… by making a time for the Lord, in prayer, every day of our life – an act, which we shall never compromise!
… by “becoming aware” of the Presence of the Lord in the activities that we engage in
… by recognizing the goodness in other people and situations of life, and thus being, consciously, grateful to God
Learning to be more “gentle and humble” can be…
… by picking up any of those virtues, and (purposely) doing an act towards growing in the virtue
… by daily examining the conscience, in the practice of that particular virtue, and making amends to try again, even if failed (Let’s remember the Lord Who always rose again, even when He fell many times, on the Way of the Cross!)
… by praying specially to the Holy Spirit for those virtues, and never being discouraged, even when faced with the opposite vice
… by being inspired by the many saints, who went through the phases of vices, but were ultimately able to conquer, and live the virtues
Tensions, worries and problems of life constantly disappoint us!
Even our striving to improve our spiritual lives (and the feeling of failure to do so) discourage us!
But the Lord constantly tells us… “Come to Me!”
“Never, ever get discouraged, My Child!”
Prophet Isaiah strongly reminds us: “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint!” (Is 40:28-31)
Let not the anxieties of our life dishearten us…
Instead may the Invitation of the Lord – “to Rest in His Presence and to learn from Him”…
… help us to always be at peace in life!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “The greatest thing that can befall a soul, beyond sin…
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