Saint Ambrose
Mt 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Hearing Jesus’ Invitation
I once had a supervisor who would say, “my office is an open door.” After any meeting her concluding words assured us of her availability. And she was always accessible, which made her a very effective supervisor.
Jesus says something similar using the word ‘come’ as an invitation: Come to me; Come and see; Come follow. Jesus is constantly inviting us to be near him, to lean on him, to rest in him, and for all that we do to be of service, not servitude. In fact, St. Ignatius highlights ‘service’ as an act of love, using the word some 39 times in his Spiritual Exercises.
However we follow Jesus – in how we love, serve, pray – remember that our Lord is merciful and patient, desiring us to journey more benevolently in life knowing that Christ is always with us.
How do you hear Jesus’ invitation to be near him in your life?
—Damian Torres-Botello, SJ, is a Jesuit Scholastic of the Midwest Province studying theology at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry; he will be ordained a priest on June 10, 2023.
Prayer
Oh gentle and humble God, who is always inviting and liberating, during this Advent season give me the grace to respond to your summons, to share my heavy burdens with you, and to be gentle with myself as I journey with you through life. In your name I pray, Amen.
—Damian Torres-Botello, SJ