Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. - Matt 11:28-30
The modern western world is a world addicted to speed, efficiency, and progress.
We want to get as much done as possible in as little time as necessary. The advent of modern technology has greatly increased our capacity for efficiency by allowing us to hand over many tasks to machines and algorithms.
However rather than freeing up more time for us, this added efficiency has simply deepened our addiction to it.
We spend so much mental and physical energy climbing up the ladder on which we find ourselves that we rarely stop to ask if that particular ladder is even worth climbing in the first place.
We try so hard to win a race that perhaps, if we took time to think about it, we don't have any desire to win.
The common denominator of nearly all humanity is exhaustion.
No matter their age, country, religion, race, income, or IQ, most people are simply tired.
It is for this reason that Jesus's invitation is just as prevalent today as it was 2000 years ago when it was first delivered. No matter how much the world changes, the human condition remains the same.
As our bodies crave water so our souls crave peace.
This peace does not come from accomplishment, status, wealth, or environment. It comes only from the Prince of Peace Himself.
It is a lie that when we get this much money or marry that person or move to this neighborhood or finish this project that we will finally find peace. None of these things can provide us lasting peace. And despite all of us learning this lesson at one point or another, how many of us still find ourselves seeking peace in these places?
Humans were created for a purpose (communion with God) and when they deviate from that purpose they experience a sort of restlessness than nothing in this world can resolve.
We may find temporary peace by taking a drug or changing our physical circumstances, but this restlessness has no choice to return until our soul finds eternal rest in the arms of its Creator.
We simply cannot find genuine peace through human accomplishment. We can only find true peace through a relationship with Peace itself - by communing with Peace in the depths of our souls. And for our sake, Peace incarnated into our world to open the door to such a mystical relationship.
You have made us for Yourself,
and our hearts are restless,
until they find rest in You
St Augustine
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