Jesus said:
Matthew 11:28-30
“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.”
“Come to me.” The words of a lover. Powerless words. Vulnerable words. The one who says these words must wait upon the response of the one to whom they are addressed.
“Will you come to me?”
The loved one must answer yes or no.
If he or she answers “Yes,” than this love of Jesus has triumphed, and Jesus can open his heart completely to pour out on the loved one that fullness of the life he shares with the Father. If the answer is “No,” a love refused, then the gift of love has met with a tragic end.
Ultimately, the invitation of the Father and the Son to the world, inviting each person into their eternal loving and living and giving is, in fact, limited only by human refusal.
As soon as we say our “Yes” to Jesus, we discover that the pressures that weigh upon us from both the world and our own selves begin to fade away. We are let in on the “secret,” so to speak, of the mystery Jesus came to reveal to us.
We begin to see how we receive all from the Father, every last thing that we are and have and accomplish. In Jesus we see the way to live in relation to the Father: in blessing and thanksgiving, wasting our time in worship and wonder. We make the astounding discovery that in truth the world has no power over us when we make our home in God.
Jesus asks you today and every day, in situations of joy and in pain, in laughter and in tears, in circumstances that demand outstanding courage and those that require a humble peace, “Come to me!”
Jesus stands at the door of our hearts as a beggar, but—oh!—how much joy fills his heart when we reach out our hand to take his that we might go with him wherever he leads. Image: Leiloeira São Domingos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Praying with this Passage of Scripture
Lectio Divina is a way of listening to God as he speaks in his Word. It is a practice of communicating with God through Scripture and attending to God’s presence and what he wishes to tell us. In this slow and prayerful reading of the Word of God, we allow ourselves to be transformed by the Spirit who forms us into the image of Christ. There are four movements in Lectio Divina: Read (lectio), Meditate (meditation), Pray (oratio), Contemplate (contemplation).
Begin by finding a still space to pray. Breathe deeply and become quieter within. Abandon any agenda, worries or thoughts you bring to this prayer and entrust these things to the merciful care of God. Ask for the grace to be receptive to what God will speak to you through this Scripture reading. Grant me, Jesus Divine Master, to be able to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God and your unfathomable riches. Grant that your word penetrate my soul; guide my steps, and brighten my way till the day dawns and darkness dissipates, you who live and reign forever and ever Amen.
Read (lectio)
Begin by slowly and meditatively reading your Scripture passage out loud. Listen for a particular word or phrase that speaks to you at this moment and sit with it for a time.
Pray (oratio)
Read the text a third time. Listen for what God is saying to you. Speak heart to heart with God. Notice the feelings that this conversation with God raises up within you. Share with God what you notice about your response to this conversation. You may wish to return to repeating the phrase quietly and gently, allowing it to permeate you more and more deeply.
Contemplate (contemplatio)
Read the text a final time. Now be still and rest in God’s embrace. Ask God to give you a gift to take with you from this prayer. You might ask God if he is inviting you to do some action, for instance, make some change in your thoughts, attitudes or reactions, in the way you speak or how you treat others. Thank God for this gift and invitation as you conclude your prayer.
Image: Myriams-Fotos; pixabay.com
Touching the Sunrise 
Thank you for such a beautiful guide for reflection. I used to feel frustrated with Lectio Divina. I felt I was too anxious to “hear” or “think” something and heard and thought zilch as a result! It takes patience and mostly great love and perseverance that only our Lord can give us and slowly mold it into our hearts if we respond to that, “Come!”
The word that came to me was “burden” . . . I have been quite busy with my day job. I have felt often guilty of not spending more quality quiet time with our Lord. As I read the Scripture again, the words “works of mercy” came to mind as I thought more profoundly about this that can be seen as a burden. I was reminded by our Lord the great “work of mercy” my day job is. And it is! I saw recently a beautiful documentary about a sister who did just that! She worked happily, joyfully, tirelessly serving her community because she was bringing the love of Jesus to them! I feel I am doing the same thing with my work that although it has to carefully be balanced out with everything else, it becomes lighter as I allow our Lord to be ever present with my work, that the people I serve may see a glimpse of hope and see things in a greater light for there is a Greater Light always! Thank you, Lord! “Burdens” are great blessings when they reflect You!
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