Mt 11:28-30 Burdened And ImperfectJesus said to the crowds: “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.”
As we all know, watching the news can be pretty depressing. We all saw how Cain’s presidential bid went up in flames after one, two and three accusers came forward right at the right moment. Now, I watched with horror how another candidate that is surging to the top of the polls was threatened by a career politician with “secret” information that would bring him down! This morning I watched a candidate’s wife defend themselves from the accusation of being too perfect; that is, of having the perfect wife, perfect children, perfect life and perfect hair! (Just off the press: this candidate is now appears to be intentionally messing up his hair just to appear imperfect!). How silly we are!
I have said it before. It is very hard to be human today. Everyone expects you to be perfect, and if you do appear to be perfect, then they expect you to be less than perfect! Get it? I’m totally confused.
Feeling Burdened? In today’s reading, the Lord is personally inviting us to hand all our burdens over to him. How can we do that? Simple. Increase your faith by taking a leap of faith!
Yes, accept yourself as being imperfect so that you may be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect. This means, hand over your sins, your faults, your errors and your mistakes and you shall receive forgiveness. This is Christ’s yoke. Take it and rest.
I know a woman who is so overwhelmed with life. She is burdened by fear, by the unknown, by despair and doubts. I keep telling her that she needs to hand over her fears and worries to the Lord. She won’t listen. She needs to have total control and yet she doesn’t realize she has lost all control! She lives a living nightmare!
“Do you not know or have you not heard? The Lord alone is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint nor grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny. He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound. Though the young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, they that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings.” (Is 40:28-31)
Feeling Imperfect? Christ is the perfect God. I am not sure if what I am about to say is a heresy, but to me Christ is the perfect God because he humbles himself by standing in line behind me! He is the perfect God who allows himself to be measured up by me! How more awesome can God be?
Christ is the perfect man because he grew weary and faint for my sake. He is perfect to me not because he is without sin (May I not be burned at the stake) but because He stands, falls and walks for me! Me, a sinner! And He will not let me out of his sight. He will not walk away from me. He will not set His eyes off of me.
So, this, I believe, is the secret as to how we can become perfect. Stand by the sinner. Walk for the sinner. Fall for the sinner. Do not walk away from them. Never leave their side.
Merciful and gracious Father, you are slow to anger and quick in kindness. You pardon all iniquities, heal all ills and redeem life from destruction. Do not deal with us according to our sins but crown us with your kindness and compassion. We ask this as your beloved Son walks with us and falls for us. Amen.
