At that time Jesus exclaimed: I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him. Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.

Introductory Prayer: Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I accept and adopt the way of life to which you call me through the grace of faith. I hope in your mercy and forgiveness so that I can remain faithful to a holy way of life and the inheritance you have promised. Lord, I know you love me. I can see it in the joy and trials in my life. You are there through it all, calling me to you. I vow to remain childlike in my relationship to you so that all you have hidden may be revealed to me in your time.

Petition: Jesus, help me to seek you with a sincere heart.

1. You have hidden these things from the wise and the learned Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding comprise three of seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. So in itself being wise and learned cannot be an issue. Jesus is here speaking of those whose pride and inflated ego make them wise and learned in their own estimation and for their own purposes. In such souls an altered form of wisdom and knowledge develops that eventually does not recognize the practical need for God in ones daily life. The mysteries of God are thus hidden from them precisely because they have focused their hearts and minds on themselves as the supreme good. They get lost in their own sophistication and lose sight of their true purpose in life. The greater a being is, the more it wants to determine its own life. It wants to be less and less dependent and, thus, more and more itself a kind of god, needing no one else at all. This is how the desire arises to become free of all need, what we call pride. (Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, God and the World, p. 125). In the end, it is they who have closed the door to God since God will never close the door to us.

2. You have revealed them to the childlike. Later in this same Gospel Jesus will reaffirm this basic truth in another way: Unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Mt 18:3). Even as adults we must never cease to be childlike, uncomplicated and properly dependent. Christ obviously knows that original sin has affected all humanity and that even children will sin.

But children are not naturally complicated and deceitful. Hiding behind masks and developing pretenses is a tendency learned with time. We must strive to be sincere with our Lord and sincere with ourselves, seeking to please him above all things. Otherwise, we risk destroying our lives by living a divided, insincere life.

3. Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Rest, not in the sense of cessation from work and struggle, but in the sense of peace of soul, joy, and profound happiness. This is the rest that we all long for, the rest that will one day be uninterrupted in the bliss of heaven. We have each met individuals who experience this peace and joy despite their circumstances. Notice that Jesus does not promise to take away the burdens or trials and sufferings. But if we take his yoke upon ourselves, if we will submit to his plan, to his will and to his love, he guarantees us joy. If we have never experienced it, then let us begin today, giving him what we know in our heart he is asking of us.

Sometimes our fear of the cross and what Jesus might take from us keeps us from accepting the Lords yoke. More than anything, except mortal sin, this fear robs us of the peace and joy he wants to give us. Though it may hurt at first, as does every yoke, this one brings peace and the ease of joy. If you struggle daily to do what is morally right even when those around you take shortcuts, then come to Jesus; if the life of selfish pleasure and illicit gain seems exceedingly attractive, then come to Jesus; if you are burdened with your patterns of sin and weaknesses of character that affect your vocation as a Christian, then come to Jesus; if life seems unfair and God seems distant at best, then come to Jesus. He calls us not to a set of principles and noble ideals, but to his very person. We do not follow rules, we follow Jesus. Only when we have first come to him will we understand the need for the rules which simply help protect the depth and truth of this relationship.

Conversation: Lord, you lead me towards everlasting peace if I will simply follow, but following does not always seem simple. Give me the very thing you ask of me: faith, generosity, courage, trust, love. With these gifts and your grace I will have the necessary strength for the journey. Mother Most Pure, make my heart only for Jesus.

Questionnaire:

1. How much wisdom and prudence is there in my life?

2. How simple and childlike am I in Gods hands?

3. What burden is Jesus asking me to carry that I am still leaving aside?