Today's Gospel: Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus asks us to lay down the heavy burdens we are working so hard to carry alone. But His request comes with a promise: the reassurance that when we accept His yoke, we will find spiritual rest. His burden is not as heavy as the one we struggle to carry alone. There are two reasons to use a yoke: to distribute a heavy burden, and to lead. The yoke provides a more ergonomic way of carrying or pulling something heavy. By accepting Jesus' yoke, we agree to take on a different, lighter burden -- and we agree, in learning from Him, to be led by Him. We live in a world that prizes self-sufficiency. Jesus invites us to be countercultural: to rely on Him, to lay our burdens at his feet; to take His yoke upon us and learn from Him.

Ponder:

What burdens do I struggle to carry on my own? How can I seek rest in Jesus today?

Pray:

Jesus, thank You for inviting me to a place of rest. Help me to carry Your burden gracefully.
Copyright 2019 Barb Szyszkiewicz, OFS Receive CatholicMom.com newsletters in your inbox, including the Daily Gospel Reflection each morning! * indicates required
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About the Author

Barb Szyszkiewicz

Barb Szyszkiewicz

Barb Szyszkiewicz, senior editor at CatholicMom.com, is a wife, mom of 3 young adults, and a Secular Franciscan. Barb enjoys writing, cooking, and reading, and is a music minister at her parish. Find her blog at FranciscanMom and her family’s favorite recipes with nutrition information at Cook and Count. Barb is the author of The Handy Little Guide to Prayer and The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours, available from Our Sunday Visitor.