“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" (Matthew 11:28-30).
Once again we hear this invitation from Christ in today’s gospel. And once again, I desperately needed to hear it. During Adoration last night I asked God to probe my heart. To help me see clearly if I am carrying a self-made cross or is it truly one in which I am united with Him. Is this hurt in my heart part of the healing process or does it persist because I can’t let go of it? Are my motives pure or selfish?
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).
How do I find peace? By allowing Christ to be my center; to take his yoke upon me and not allow my heart to be ruled by anyone or anything. I need to have a conscious and deliberate reception of God’s grace. One way I can find this peace every day is through the Eucharist. During Mass we confess or sins and take our place once more in Christ’s death, dying to our sins and to the world. As we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, we receive forgiveness. We have knelt as sinners and rise as saints (Restoring the Christian Soul, p. 145). We rise empowered by God’s love and are no longer held prisoner by our sins.
His is an open invitation to each one of us but we must accept it every day. Our conversion is ongoing and ever changing as we are faced with the challenges of this world. When I feel overwhelmed and weary it is not a lack of faith but a reminder that I am off center and need to take time to be refreshed in Christ’s love.
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