March 2nd, 2026
Monday, March 2
Come to me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am humble and gentle in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” ~Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am humble and gentle in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” ~Matthew 11:28-30
__________________________________________
Many days, I wake in the morning with thoughts, ideas, and worries scrolling through my head. It’s like they’re waiting for me to wake up just enough to be aware of my own consciousness, and then they pounce, like a predator waiting for the right moment to ambush its prey. The thoughts, ideas, and worries jump at the right moment and devour space and energy. I don’t have the time to address them all, but I feel like I need to, and it causes a sense of hurry, making it difficult to actually live life. I struggle to pay attention in conversations. I struggle to enjoy moments I probably should enjoy. I miss out on moments that are passing. I miss out on life.
There’s a song called “Breathe” by Johnny Diaz. The lyric goes:
Many days, I wake in the morning with thoughts, ideas, and worries scrolling through my head. It’s like they’re waiting for me to wake up just enough to be aware of my own consciousness, and then they pounce, like a predator waiting for the right moment to ambush its prey. The thoughts, ideas, and worries jump at the right moment and devour space and energy. I don’t have the time to address them all, but I feel like I need to, and it causes a sense of hurry, making it difficult to actually live life. I struggle to pay attention in conversations. I struggle to enjoy moments I probably should enjoy. I miss out on moments that are passing. I miss out on life.
There’s a song called “Breathe” by Johnny Diaz. The lyric goes:
Alarm clock screaming, bare feet hit the floor
It's off to the races, everybody out the door
I'm feeling like I'm falling behind, it's a crazy life… So much to do in so little time, it's a crazy life
It's off to the races, everybody out the door
I'm feeling like I'm falling behind, it's a crazy life… So much to do in so little time, it's a crazy life
Sadly, this is all too often the scenario for many people, including Christians. It’s hard, I know. There’s sometimes so much to manage. We are afraid of losing control or failing. We’re not at peace. And then we just give in to the “crazy life.” But, I think we know it’s not supposed to be like this.
At the center of the gospel of Matthew John the Baptist is wondering about Jesus – whether he’s actually God’s Messiah or not. John’s wondering is a turning point. For the rest of the story until he goes to the cross, Jesus will deal with all sorts of wonderings, questions, and misunderstandings. At the same time, he will clarify who he is and sharpen his call to discipleship – what it means to follow him.
At the center of Jesus’ response to John the Baptist, Jesus makes it ultra clear who he is and what he’s calling people to follow into. That’s the Scripture at the beginning of this day’s reflection. Jesus makes it clear that he is the Lord who brings rest.
And let’s remember to whom Jesus speaks. It’s not the ones who have it relatively easy in the Roman world. He’s talking to the working class, the ones struggling under the weight of scarcity, worry, and demands. And he doesn’t call them to a different busyness, to get on board and do more things for the kingdom. His burden is light.
This is the Great Invitation of Jesus – to come to the Lord of rest and to find rest for your souls. And it’s for those who know they need it: the burdened, the socially low, the ones under the weight of worry and anxiety. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You don’t need to have control over all of the variables.
Breathe. Rest.
___________________________________________
At the center of the gospel of Matthew John the Baptist is wondering about Jesus – whether he’s actually God’s Messiah or not. John’s wondering is a turning point. For the rest of the story until he goes to the cross, Jesus will deal with all sorts of wonderings, questions, and misunderstandings. At the same time, he will clarify who he is and sharpen his call to discipleship – what it means to follow him.
At the center of Jesus’ response to John the Baptist, Jesus makes it ultra clear who he is and what he’s calling people to follow into. That’s the Scripture at the beginning of this day’s reflection. Jesus makes it clear that he is the Lord who brings rest.
And let’s remember to whom Jesus speaks. It’s not the ones who have it relatively easy in the Roman world. He’s talking to the working class, the ones struggling under the weight of scarcity, worry, and demands. And he doesn’t call them to a different busyness, to get on board and do more things for the kingdom. His burden is light.
This is the Great Invitation of Jesus – to come to the Lord of rest and to find rest for your souls. And it’s for those who know they need it: the burdened, the socially low, the ones under the weight of worry and anxiety. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You don’t need to have control over all of the variables.
Breathe. Rest.
___________________________________________
For reflection:
Prayer: God of hope, you sent Jesus in humility and lowliness to show us the way of life. By your Spirit shape us to the way of Jesus, so that our lives do not seek pride, but so that we find joy in humility and lowliness. Amen.
- Read Matthew 11:28-30. This is Jesus’ invitation to us all. How do you respond to Jesus? What would you say or do?
- What worries and burdens do you carry?
- For those with kids: talk about what worries they have. Why do those things make them worry? What to they want Jesus to do? Read to them Matthew 11:28-30 as if they were Jesus’ words to them. Maybe talk about what rest from their worries might be like in their lives.
Prayer: God of hope, you sent Jesus in humility and lowliness to show us the way of life. By your Spirit shape us to the way of Jesus, so that our lives do not seek pride, but so that we find joy in humility and lowliness. Amen.
No Comments