Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent; Saint Lucy (d.c.303)

Readings of the day: RB 59

Mass: Isaiah 40:25-31; Resp. Psalm 103; Matthew 11:28-30

Maestro de Perea - Saint Lucy. 1500

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 is light.

Just before heading out to give a presentation at a parish, I received wise advice. A friend suggested: ‘Just tell the people Jesus loves them. That is the most important thing they need to hear.’ Since then, I have been doing just that. I begin nearly every talk with: If you don’t remember anything else I say today, please remember, Jesus loves you.

It is amazing how many people have thanked me for reminding them about Jesus’ love. Why don’t we remember it? More importantly, why don’t we believe it? The WORD speaks to us in powerful ways today; in ways that also remind us of the power of God’s love. LOVE heals us, strengthens us, sooths us, lightens our loads. I was struck by something I read in my trusty Magnificat: ‘Jesus will go to impossible lengths to rescue you’ (A. Voskamp, The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas). It’s true, friends, we will find rest in Jesus. Just when we think we are not loved, wanted, just can’t take another trial, challenge, or carry yet another burden, Jesus, all tender MERCY and COMPASSION rescues us. 

LOVE will do whatever it takes to rescue YOU!

Dear JESUS,

so meek and humble of heart,

thank you for loving me.

He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound.

They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.