Jesus promises to help His disciples carry their life burdens. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by seeking the Fruits of Peace and Joy from the Holy Spirit so he can be comforted by God and by seeking the Fruits of Love, Patience, and Kindness so he can be helped by the Holy Spirit to strengthen his marriage.
Liturgy
15th Week in Ordinary Time – Thursday – Mt 11:28-30
Commentary
Having revealed the blessings and power the Father has given Him, Jesus offers to give peace and joy to every man willing to give themselves to Him. Person of the Trinity, the Son of God required men stuck in Original Sin after Eden the burden of work to survive, a reminder of their dependence on God (Gen 3:17-19); Jesus willingly carried the same burden through His many years of hard labor as a carpenter. Jesus now promises that He will relieve the burden of men who have faith in Him.
For relief from a man’s burdens, Jesus calls men to pursue Divine Wisdom (Sir 51) with an incredible revelation: Jesus is Wisdom personified! He promises in His Divine Mercy to draw men to Himself in gentleness, relieving the suffering of men who seek Him. Jesus invites men to come to Him, to learn from Him, and to take on His yoke of the Christian life; in this, Jesus promises men rest.
Jesus’ call for men to take on His yoke can fundamentally transform a man’s life. The yoke is the yoke of the Son, the way of humble obedience to the Father, and the willingness to do the Father’s will, and by taking on Christ’s yoke, men can be intimately united with Him. Jesus does not impose His yoke on any man but gives every man the free will to choose to give himself, or not, to Jesus. His yoke becomes the vocation of disciples to labor for the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus does not take away all a man’s burdens but helps each man carry his duties in the world with joy, allowing each man in his own meager way to contribute to the building of Christ’s Kingdom.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Marvel at how Jesus, the Son of God, lowers Himself to offer salvation to men: the perfection of Humility, despite having Divine Knowledge and Power, He takes on the physical burdens of Human Nature to reach, teach and save men; the perfection of Meekness, He offers all men the opportunity for salvation which simply requires faith and a willingness to repent and follow Him; perfection of Justice, He rewards men who repent from sin and seek His peace and rest, a Spiritual Work of Mercy (Comfort).
Receive the Spirit’s Fruits of Peace and Joy
Realize: Knowing that men suffer the burdens of the world (overwork, oppression, physical suffering, conflicts with others, emotional turmoil, illness), Jesus, the Perfection of Love, comes into the world so that men can realize that by turning to God, they can find lasting peace and joy.
Believe: Reflect upon why Christ became Flesh (CCC 456-460).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me the Fruits of Peace and Joy so I can bear my burdens in Christ, I continually offer gratitude to God, and I can be a credible and inspiring witness who sacrifices for others to bring them to Christ and His Holy Catholic Church.
Seek the Spirit to strengthen your marriage
Realize: When married couples fall away from Christ, they can find suffering difficult to endure, drift apart, and begin to think of their marriage as an unbearable burden; every Catholic man can protect his marriage by drawing himself and his wife ever closer to Christ.
Believe: Reflect upon the astounding blessings of Marriage in the Lord (CCC 1612-1617, 1638-1642).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me the Fruits of Love, Patience, and Kindness so I can forgive and more perfectly love others, especially my wife (if married); I pray that all husbands and wives receive the blessed Fruits of the Holy Spirit.