July 10, 2017

Jesus carries burdens of those who suffer, pope says

WORLD
By Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service

Pope Francis poses with children during a meeting with members of the Italian League for the Fight Against Tumors, at the Vatican June 26. The pope said that cancer prevention programs and campaigns need to reach everyone. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Men and women who carry the heavy burden of life’s troubles can find relief in Christ, who does not take away the load, but carries it as well, Pope Francis said.

“He waits for us, he always waits for us, not to resolve our problems magically, but to make us strong in our problems. Jesus does not remove the burdens of life, but rather the anguish of heart; he does not take the cross away from us, but carries it with us,” the pope said before praying the Angelus July 9 with people gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

The pope’s reflection centered on the Sunday reading from the Gospel of St. Matthew, in which Jesus invites all those who “labor and are burdened” to come to him for rest.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light,” Jesus said.

The pope said Christ excludes no one from this invitation and knows “that many things can make the heart weary.”

Pilgrims listen as Pope Francis leads the Angelus July 9 in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. (CNS photo/Max Rossi, Reuters)

Jesus, he added, calls on people to “move and react” rather than to stay “lying there” when things go badly.

“It’s not easy! In dark moments, it is natural to be within one’s self, to brood over how unjust life is, on how ungrateful others are and how evil the world is and so forth,” the pope said.

Instead, Pope Francis said, Jesus wants to pull “us out from this quicksand” and give all people a way out of sadness, which allows them to raise their eyes “toward the one who really loves us.”

“When Jesus enters our life, peace comes; that (peace) which remains even in trials, in sufferings. Let us go to Jesus, let us give him our time, let us meet him every day in prayer, in a confident and personal dialogue; let us familiarize ourselves with his word, let us rediscover his forgiveness without fear, let us be satiated with his bread of life: We will feel loved and consoled by him,” the pope said.