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Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent

Readings of the Day 
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It's mighty easy to feel the weight of the world on our
shoulders as we give our best talent, energy, and "heart"
to the service of those many people who need assistance in our daily
ministries. We try so hard, and with great sincerity, and still we can
become exhausted and discouraged. Admit it...most of us have felt
the disheartening consequences of the services we try to do day after
day with limited success.

Today's readings provide an insight into how to do the good we
try to do without the damage to ourselves and to our clients that can
result when we try to power-through the difficulties and complexities
of life. In today's first reading, the prophet Isaiah describes
God's great power in the creation and support of everything in
our world. He assures us of the willingness of God to use that
strength with and for us so that we can "run and not grow
weary." In the Gospel, Jesus echoes that call and offers rest
for those who labor and are burdened by inviting us to share the load
with Him and for Him to share the load with us--binding us together
with a weight-supporting yoke.

We are not being invited to sit back and let God do the work. Rather
it is clear that we must still put in our best effort to do the work
and use our talents and stretch our abilities and be
creative-BUT-we are invited to do it in a buddy-system
with God. When we team up with God in doing our job, it becomes our
ministry and the winners are both those we serve and ourselves.

 

Sr. Mary Louise is a Daughter of Charity, an international
congregation dedicated to the service of those in greatest need. Her
ministries have included acute healthcare, community health, and
leadership in Catholic Charities agencies in several states. She
currently seeks out resources for ministries in developing countries
as executive director of Daughters of Charity International Project
Services, www.daughtersips.org
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