I Will Give You Rest

July 19, 2007

Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

I am concerned about you and about the way you are being treated in Egypt; so I have decided to lead you up out of the misery of Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey. Exodus 3:16-17

“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 light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Piety

Come aside to me, you untutored, and take up lodging in the house of instruction; How long will you be deprived of wisdom's food, how long will you endure such bitter thirst? I open my mouth and speak of her: gain, at no cost, wisdom for yourselves. Submit your neck to her yoke, that your mind may accept her teaching. For she is close to those who seek her, and the one who is in earnest finds her. See for yourselves! I have labored only a little, but have found much. Acquire but a little instruction; you will win silver and gold through her. Let your spirits rejoice in the mercy of God, and be not ashamed to give him praise. Work at your tasks in due season, and in his own time God will give you your reward. (Sirach 51:23-30)

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/071907.shtml

Just as God expressed his concern for the people of Israel when they were enslaved in Egypt, his concern carries forward through time.

The psalm today reminds us, “The Lord remembers his covenant forever.” So the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Joshua, are passed on to Moses and now, on to us.

Across time, the promises remain. We must work at our tasks of piety, study and action and in His own time, God will give us our reward.

Matthew’s words in the Good News recall Ben Sirach's invitation to learn wisdom and submit to what is learned from such wisdom. However, it also recalls the Beatitudes where the meek shall posses the land and the poor in spirit (humble) possess the kingdom of heaven – another expression of God’s concern for us and His desire to deliver on His promises.

Action

Where are your labors for the Lord going to take you today? Will you be feeding the poor? Will you be offering gifts of charity and almsgiving? Will you be performing the Corporal Works of Mercy? The spiritual works of mercy?

Or are you getting ready for a well-deserved break? God wants us to have all good things – that is why he led his people to a land “flowing with milk and honey.” In the middle of summer, our labors often turn to thoughts of vacation.

The Lord does not forget His promises and he never takes a vacation. The people are always following Him whenever he wants to rest. We are blessed with rest.

“Beside restful waters he leads us.” For some this vacation results in time away from home – into the mountains, over to the shores of a nearby lake, river, bay or ocean. For others, just time away from the daily routine of work, school, office and duties is break enough.

When you head out on vacation, remember to make some time for God just as God delivers to you the rest you need at the end of each day as well as during a summer vacation. Worship God and give thanks for the gifts you receive at home or on the road again.

Bring some religious reading with you on vacation. Take a break from your regular study. Consider a book of poetry (Gerard Manley Hopkins?) or some meditations by Thomas Merton.

Find a Church and attend Mass while away on vacation. Enjoy the setting of a new Church and consider yourself a parishioner in this Church even though you may only be there once a year.

PS: Our parish-away-from-home is St. Brendan the Navigator in Shallotte, NC.