Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Matthew (11: 28-30) in which Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden.”

Fr Paul says, when we look at a pair of oxen and the yoke across their shoulders, we know that to move forward the two need to work together. They need to be in step with one another. We hear in the Gospel today an invitation to a similar partnership with Jesus.

Jesus is offering us the yoke of discipleship. Jesus is offering to walk beside us and share the burdens that we carry – hence the words ‘shoulder my yoke and learn from me’. Walking with Jesus will lead to true rest because his yoke is easy and his burden light.

For our reflection, Fr Paul invites us each to reflect on ‘What are the burdens I carry?’ and suggests we share those burdens with Jesus.