²⁸ ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

I’m preaching on this at this morning’s communion service at St Matthew’s. Except, why would anybody need to hear a sermon on it? Why don’t we just listen to words of Jesus and let him speak? I’m toying with idea of just reading it, maybe a couple of times, in a Lectio Divina kind of way.

Of course, there’s plenty of stuff you can say about these words –

• Like the idea of a carpenter telling you that his yoke is easy. It’s almost an advertising slogan – try our yokes, they’re really smooth!
• Or the question, If the burden you are carrying is heavy, and Jesus didn’t give it to you, where did you get it? From religion? From the Church?
• Or the great insight into God that Jesus offers: that God is gentle and humble in heart. Imagine that! And if God can afford to be gentle and humble, then I’m pretty sure we can learn to be.

Mindfulness is a very popular idea these days, from Buddhist tradition but appropriated by therapy and business. It seems to be  that we focus about half our attention on the past, fretting over choices we made and the opportunities we missed; and about half on the future, worrying about what might be coming our way. And that leaves exactly nothing for the present. We miss the moment. So, here’s my suggestion. Give yourself a moment to read those words of Jesus again.

Come to the one who is gentle and humble and who gives you rest.