Shared burden is a lightened burden

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Advent Season: Second Week : Wednesday*

*Gospel : Mt 11:28-30*

*First Reading : Is 40:25-31*

*Responsorial Psalm :Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10*

*"Shared burden is a lightened burden"*

*1) Universality of the Burden*

Burden is one of the most touching experiences of our life 

There is no person in the world who is without burden 

Everyone who has been born into this world as human being has to under go some or other type of burden 

Burden shows no discrimination with the human beings. For burden everyone is same 

So burden is a reality of life 

*2) Burden is not taken away but shared*

From the Gospel it is clear. Jesus calls to himself to all who are crushed under the burden of life 

*Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.*

Here Jesus is not taking away our burden. But he is sharing our burden. In this way the burden becomes light

*3) The Magic of the Yoke*

In the process of sharing the burden, Jesus makes use of one of the most effective instruments called *Yoke*

Yoke is a powerful instrument to share the burden and to lighten it 

The Yoke equally shares the burden among the two oxen. 

So Jesus' Yoke lightens our burden and give us special strength to continue our mission

*4) Jesus' Yoke*

Jesus says *My yoke is easy, and my burden light.”*

This is because Jesus carries the burden of our life 

This is because Jesus walks besides us 

This is because he teaches us the best method to carry the burden along with Him 

This is because Jesus does not give us the burden beyond our capacity to carry

*5) The Mountain of Burden*

There is not only the physical burden, which we often think, when we think about burden 

There are other forms of burden, which make our life more miserable and difficult 

The physical burden

The emotional burden

The economical burden 

The spiritual burden

The psychological burden 

The burden of the sickness 

The burden of the loneliness

The burden of work 

There are more types of burden in today's world 

*6) My collaboration for the Yoke*

Am I ready to collaborate with Jesus' Yoke 

Jesus is always ready to share my burden. But what about me? 

How many times have I experienced the sharing of my burden with Jesus? 

Do I  believe that Shared burden is a lightened burden?

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*