Tuesday, December 6, 2016

2nd Week of Advent, Wednesday, 07-12-16

Isaiah 40:25-31 / Matthew 11:28-30

The number of times a particular word appears in the Bible is usually different for each version of the Bible. Because there is no single correct way to translate the ancient Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek Bible manuscripts into English. The grammar, structure, and style of those languages are very different from English, and a literal word-for-word translation is not possible.

With regards to the word "heart" in the Bible there as as many as 730 or more citations in the Bible.

But most translations would agree there is only once when Jesus spoke of His own heart and that is in Matthew 11:29 "Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls", which is part of today's gospel passage.

Jesus described His heart as gentle and humble, and it is with a gentle and humble heart that He was obedient to the Father's will.

It is with a gentle and humble heart that He was empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim with Good News with authority and to work miracles and wonders.

Knowing what the heart of Jesus is like, what can we say of our own hearts? Or what would God say of our own hearts?

The 1st reading describes what our hearts may be like: How can you say, Jacob, how can you insist, Israel, " My destiny is hidden from the Lord, my rights are ignored by my God"?

Our hearts may be restless and clouded with doubt, and this has caused us to be tired and weary, and we stumble along the way of life.

But Jesus tells us to come to Him and learn from Him, to be gentle and humble of heart and we will find rest for our souls.

And with that we will have hope in the Lord who will renew our strength and we will put out wings like eagles. We will run and not grow weary or tired. So let us ask Jesus to have a heart like His, a heart that is gentle and humble.