Fr Kevin Kilgore

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All four Gospels paint a clear picture of Jesus.

He had a heart for the poor; he healed the sick; he eagerly forgave others; and he was always aware of his impending death.

As it says in the Gospel today, “The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.”

And he knew it.

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Imagine that stress.

Imagine knowing your ministry will catapult you to fame; that the religious authorities will challenge you; that people will take you for granted; that the people you came to save will eventually nail you to a tree.

At times, Jesus must’ve been terribly afraid. 

But he kept doing good anyway. He never let his fear overcome him.

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Fear is something terribly human.

We’ve all felt it. We all dislike it. We all know how heavy it can be.

But sometimes the Lord invites us into new, uncomfortable experiences – like Peter being invited to walk on water – so that we can grow in trust.

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So, what am I afraid of? Where am I being invited to walk on water?

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Many of us are probably are afraid of contracting the Coronavirus. Perhaps we’re afraid of returning to school or work; afraid of the future; afraid of losing someone we love.

While legitimate, these fears don’t have to make us sink.

After we acknowledge them, reach out for the hand of Lord, who’s always inviting us to take the next step forward, even when the waters rage.

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For the Jews, the Sabbath is a sacred day of rest. 

Just as God rested on the seventh day after creating the world, so the Jews must rest from their labors on the Sabbath.

It’s a time to contemplate; to pray; to remember the goodness of the Lord.

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Any type of work is forbidden.

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In many ways, it feels like the Coronavirus has forced us into a Sabbath-type of existence.

Many cannot work; we cannot travel; we cannot spend leisurely time with friends in public. We remain largely cooped up at home.

It’s easy to feel frustrated.

But perhaps it’s time for a change in perspective.

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Instead of focusing on what we cannot do, we should focus on what we can do.

This quarantine has offered us an opportunity to contemplate; to pray; to look inside ourselves and consider who and what really matters in life.

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There’s an old prayer for serenity I’ve said many times during these days. Perhaps it’ll give us a focus today:

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”

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One thing I know I can change today is my perspective; seeing this day like a Sabbath, a sacred time to pause and remember the goodness of the Lord.

How about you?

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In an otherwise normal year, this would be the time for sending out invitations for weddings, graduations, baptisms, first Communions, and summer soirées.

COVID has largely squashed that, or at least put such celebrations on hold.

But there is one invitation this virus cannot postpone; the invitation to follow Jesus.

“Come to me all you who are heavy burdened,” he says in the Gospel today, “and I will give you rest.”

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This isn’t a black-tie affair. 

We don’t have to buy a new outfit or get gussied up. Jesus won’t judge us by our appearance or by what gift we bring from the online registry.

He invites us as we are: tired and frustrated of COVID, perhaps lonely, hungry for a purpose, and stressed about our unknown futures.

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Come to me as you are, he says, and I will give you rest. It’s the type of rest that Jesus alone can give, shalom.

Meaning peace; inner stillness; comfort; security.

It may not be the invitation we were expecting this summer, but it’s exactly what we need. It’s free and free-ing.

Why not accept?

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