The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, July 20, 2006
Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Apollinaris, bishop and martyr

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 26:7-9, 12, 16-19
Psalm 102:13-14ab and 15, 16-18, 19-21
Matthew 11:28-30

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Life isn't always easy! Sometimes it gets downright miserable! At such times we might question, "Why me Lord? What did I do to deserve this?” Our Lord addresses an answer to some of us in the gospel of today saying, "Take my yoke . . . and learn from me . . . ." (Matthew 11:29)

The reason we might say that it’s an answer for some of us, is that sometimes we make our own burdens, and then complain to God about them. We are lax about taking care of our duties in life, properly parenting our children, taking care of our health, our finances. We have gone along with blinders on, caught up in the fast-paced secular society. Then “suddenly” there is a crisis. Notice that in the gospel Christ says, "Take MY yoke upon you." If we follow the will of God by prayer and listening to the Spirit, we are less apt to make our own burdens.

Obviously for others, and for all of us at times, there seems to be no reason for suffering. We’re often at a loss for words, but we can turn to our Savior who suffered for each of us on the Cross!

O God, please help me to not make life harder for myself.
Save me from my own lack of insight.
Direct me always in all things. Amen

- Joan of Jesus, OCDS
(jmurphy at utica dot edu)