The Consolation of the Lord - Daily Reflections July 18,2013

THE CONSOLATION OF THE LORD

 

One of the great things about God is that He is always ready to give us His consolation and love. In today’s Gospel, He is asking all of us, who might be struggling under the weight of a problem or two, to entrust ourselves to His mercy and love, and allow Him to help us carry the load. It is a pretty good offer when you think about it. However, the offer is more on the spiritual dimension of our struggles.

       The promise of someone willing to listen to us articulate our problems is often the first, and perhaps the most important step, towards attaining a solution to them. It is very important that we realize that God’s offer of help is never an empty offer. No matter what our problem may be, it is always going to be advantageous to us to avail ourselves of His help. Literally speaking, this text contains legal imagery combined with an agricultural concept of yoke. Jesus is saying that the yoke of the Gospel is far easier than the yoke of the Law. And this is not just because He is there to shoulder most of the weight. The reality is that when it comes to sin, Jesus shoulders 100 percent of the weight — through His death on the cross. The Law is good but it cannot deal with sin and its effects; it can help us avoid sin if we follow it, but once we have fallen, all it does is reinforce the knowledge that we have indeed sinned. This is not necessarily very helpful. Jesus, on the other hand, is telling us that He can take the yoke of the knowledge of our sinfulness and transform it with His forgiveness. In this way, the yoke becomes light and easy, and we are freed from the guilt of sin and many of its effects. It is an offer that we would be mad to refuse, so let us pray for the grace to humble ourselves and allow the grace of God to “lighten our load.” Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you always insist on solving your own problems and would rather fail than admit you need help?

 

Jesus, help me grow in humility so that I can better avail of Your forgiveness and grow as Your disciple.