Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

This is such a lovely passage because it helps to remind us not only how close God is (He’s just a prayer away), but that His desire is to be of help, offer hope, and alleviate the burdens we face in this life.
I have to admit that whenever I read this passage, Bill Wither’s 1972 hit, “Lean on me” wafts through my mind. The lyrics are seemingly reminiscent of Christ’s words, by reminding us although there will be “pain and sorrow” in our lives, we have someone to lean on.

“Lean on Me, when you’re not strong and I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on…” And the fact that the song ends with Bill literally singing “Call me” over and over again, also sounds like our Lord’s plea for us to “Keep seeking, keep knocking, and keep asking.”

Fr. John