Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – 05th July 2026
Dear brothers and sisters,
There are times in life when we become tired. And I am not speaking only about physical tiredness. There is also a tiredness of the heart. Many people smile on the outside while carrying tears within. There are parents who lie awake at night worrying about their children. There are grandparents who pray every day for those they love. There are people living with illness who still manage to smile. There are many who carry a cross that no one else can see. It is as though Jesus sees every one of these people when he says in today’s Gospel: “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Notice how gentle his words are. Jesus does not say, “Go away and sort out your problems on your own.” He does not say, “Be stronger.” He does not say, “Stop crying.” He simply says, “Come to me.”
This is our God. A God who does not turn away when we are weary, but opens his arms to welcome us.
I often think of a little child who has been playing all day. By evening he is so tired that he cannot take another step. His father does not say, “Come on, you can do it!” Instead, he bends down, lifts the child into his arms and carries him home.
That is what God does for us.
So often we think we must carry everything on our own. We believe we have to solve every problem ourselves. We feel that we must always appear strong. But God quietly says to us, “Let me carry you.”
How different our lives would be if, before becoming overwhelmed with worry, we simply paused for a moment and prayed, “Lord, this is my burden. I do not want to carry it alone any longer. Please help me.”