Isaiah 26:7-9, 12, 16-19 / Matthew 11:28-30
It can be said that human beings have a contradiction within themselves
We want peace for ourselves, but we are prepared to fight with our enemies, thinking that by eliminating them, we will have peace.
We want to make ourselves look good and be happy, and we think that by putting others down, we will be better than them.
All this do not result in any good for ourselves or for others.
Yet, we keep fanning this contradiction within us with all sorts of warped strategies.
So what we really want is to have peace in our hearts and to live good lives.
But as the first reading tells us, the path of the upright man is straight and follows the way of the Lord.
It is only when we long for the Lord and seek Him, then we will learn the meaning of integrity and justice.
In the gospel, Jesus tells us to come to Him when we are tired and overburdened.
He will give us rest but we must turn away from our sinfulness and carry the cross of purification.
When we learn from Jesus to be gentle and humble of heart, then we will not be tired out and burdened by the contradictions of our lives.