Rev’d Caroline - [email protected], 01285 712467

Rev’d Vicky - 07356 234248 – [email protected]

Finding Rest in Our Weakness

Zechariah 9:9-12, Romans 7:15-25a, Matthew 11:16-19, 25-end

There is something deeply comforting about the honesty of St Paul. In his Letter to the Romans, he admits a struggle that many of us know all too well: "I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do." These are not the words of someone who has given up on God. They are the words of someone who loves God and yet recognises how difficult it can be to live faithfully every day.

As I reflected on these readings, my mind went back to my own ordination service, last weekend. Together with my fellow ordinands, I stood before the Bishops for what is known as The Declarations. In that part of the service, the Bishop sets before those to be ordained the calling of a priest. We hear that priests are called to be servants and shepherds among God's people, proclaiming the word of the Lord, watching for the signs of God's kingdom, teaching, encouraging, feeding Christ's flock, seeking out those who have wandered, and guiding people through the confusions and temptations of this world so that they may be saved through Christ. It is a beautiful vision of priestly ministry, but it is also an overwhelming one.

The congregation and the ordinands then declare together that this is indeed the calling we are prepared to embrace. Yet the most memorable words come at the end of this section: "You cannot bear the weight of this calling in your own strength, but only by the grace and power of God... Pray earnestly for the gift of the Holy Spirit." What a tremendous relief those words are! They acknowledge what St Paul knew so well—that no one can fulfil God's calling by determination alone. Whether we are ordained ministers or faithful disciples in our homes, workplaces, schools, or communities, we all reach the limits of our own strength.

That is precisely where today's Gospel speaks so powerfully. Jesus invites us, saying, "Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest." He does not reserve this invitation for those who have everything together. He speaks to those who are weary, burdened, and aware of their need for help. His words remind us that the Christian life is not about proving our strength but about trusting in his.

Jesus also thanks the Father for revealing the mysteries of the Kingdom not to those who think they know everything, but to those who are humble and open like children. Humility is not weakness. It is the courage to acknowledge that we cannot save ourselves. It is the willingness to place our lives in God's hands and allow his grace to transform us.

This is the thread that unites both readings. Paul recognises his weakness. Jesus welcomes those who recognise theirs. Where Paul cries out for deliverance, Jesus offers rest. Where human effort reaches its limits, God's grace begins its work.

In a world that prizes independence, success, and self-reliance, these readings offer a different message. Faith is not about appearing strong or pretending that we have no struggles. It is about the honesty to admit that we cannot do this without Christ's love, wisdom, power, and strength. The saints were not people who never failed; they were people who never stopped turning back to the Lord.

As a parish community, we are invited to create a place where people can be honest about their burdens and confident in God's mercy. We all carry hidden struggles. We all have moments when we fall short. Yet we also share the same hope: that Christ walks beside us, offering forgiveness, strength, and peace.

This week, perhaps we can hear Jesus' invitation as though it were spoken personally to each one of us. Whatever burdens we carry, whatever failures discourage us, whatever calling God has entrusted to us, he simply says, "Come to me." In coming to him with humble hearts, we discover that his grace is sufficient, his mercy never fails, and his promise remains true: in him, weary souls find rest.

Rev’d Vicky

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