Dear All,
Following on from last Saturday (Silence in Prayer & Deep Listening) , two particular quotations from the gospels have rung bells with me ‘Come Away by yourselves to a deserted place & rest awhile’ & ‘Come to me, all you who are burdened & I will give you rest’, & in both cases I found some helpful words in an anthology. Joyce Rupp is the author of ‘Come away & Rest Awhile’, the other one seems to be anonymous. The invitation ‘Come’ in both is worth reflecting on – ‘Come to me…….’ has something to say about the word ‘Come’. There is a piece of music too that might help us reflect:
Come, be with me
All you who carry heavy burdens;
I will give you rest,
I will give you rest.
We are sharing these words & the music with you, hoping that at least one of them might have some meaning for you.
We send you a blessing as well of course & pray that it touches you & anyone you are concerned about at present. It is John Glynn’s ‘Song of Blessing’.
With our love
‘Come away by yourselves to a deserted place & rest awhile’ – Mark 6.31
Henri Nouwen wisely noted, “Somewhere we know that without a lonely place, our lives are in danger.” Jesus and Nouwen were not referring to loneliness. They were urging a temporary departure from others in order to have the essential quiet space for a healthy inner life. Jesus’ invitation came out of his experience of being immersed in constant activity. People hungered for his presence and healing abilities. He knew the importance of going apart for prayer and renewal.
Every person needs some solitude. Parents with young children long for even snippets of it. So do people forced to work two or three jobs to pay their bills. Monks and nuns would seem to have a sufficient amount of solitude but even they must make real efforts to attain enough of it. Today, rather than bemoaning the inhumane tendency of people’s being busy every moment of their waking hours, it is more valuable to set an example by deliberately taking time for our own necessary solitude.
Come to Me all you who labour & are burdened & I will give you rest’- Matt.11.28.
Who among us does not know the feeling of being burdened? Whether those heavy loads result from our own or from another’s experience, the invitation Jesus extends in Matthew’s gospel provides significant reassurance for us.
We are not promised that our burdens will be immediately lifted but that we will be given ‘rest’. Heartache may remain, physical & emotional pain persist, troubling concerns linger, & financial deficits continue.
In the midst of what is not quickly changed or lessened, God offers the gift of abiding peace.
The word ‘come’ tells us a lot. It contains both invitation & reception. It speaks of approaching and being assured of a welcome. Both comfort & strength of helpful proportion wait to infuse our spirit if we ease ourselves into the divine embrace, if we let go of our tight hold on how we insist life ought to be.
Jesus invites us, ‘Come, draw near. Sit beside me. You don’t have to do or say anything. Let my love slip inside your heart. I will give you rest’.