Carrying Our Burdens

A visitor to Rwanda (or any African country) is always astounded at the first sight of people of all ages carrying "payloads" of potatoes, avocados, water, or bundles of firewood on their heads, without stopping to steady them, walking barefoot on stony ground without any concern of losing their cargo, and even stopping to greet people along the way.  They behave as if their burdens are light, even non-existent.  Yet, they all carry inner burdens: concern over the lack of money for medicine, food and school fees; a son serving in the military, the jealousy of neighbors;  the fear of violence.  We too carry burdens within which weary and drain us and which seem beyond solution.
In today's Gospel, Jesus gives us the comforting words we need but often forget:  Come to me, all 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 yourselves.  For my yoke is easy and my burden light. (Mt 11:28-30)   Again, the "burden" is on us, that is the humility to turn to Jesus for the help we need to carry our inner pains, longings and disappointments, our frightening inadequacies and shortcomings, our doubts, fears and anxieties, our questions and confusions.  "How will I ever get through this...even this day?"   This is where we need to "take it to the Lord in prayer" as we sing in the hymn, What a Friend We Have in Jesus.  His invitation to let HIM carry our burden and learn from him the meekness and humility that we free us of our burdens or make them more bearable, as He will be carrying them with us,  is a perfect Advent prayer, one to be repeated and repeated till it finds a permanent place in our hearts.
Bro. Rene