Second Wednesday of Advent

Gospel: Mt 11:28-30

I am not good at resting. I am always working, volunteering, running errands, making plans. It’s an area of growth I’ve struggled with for as long as I’ve been in charge of my own schedule. 

The only thing that can slow me down is Jesus. 

My 20-minute drive to and from mass every Sunday may have been chaotic, usually spent racing to not be late, catching up on phone calls, and stressing about whether or not I would find a parking spot in the small church lot. 

But once I walked through the doors of my tiny, Spiritan church in Arlington, Virginia, the noise stopped. I felt compelled to find peace, be still, and focus on something so much bigger than myself and my seemingly-endless commitments. 

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells the crowd, "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”

For those in the Call to Action and church reform community, I’m sure there have been many feelings post-election. I’ve seen folks coming together, organizing and protesting in preparation for what the next four years will look like. There is no doubt how important that is — we are called to this work by our faith and belief in Catholic social justice. 

But even in the face of anxiety and fear, I implore you to fit in time for prayer and worship, whether that takes place at mass or not. 

Take it from me, an endless busy-bee: God’s grace will grant you the peace you need, if you make the time for him. 

Jesus would not call us to him, call us to rest, if he could not lighten our burden. So, let him.

Emily Harrison is a CTA Vision Council Member.