THE FEAST OF ST DAMASUS I, PONTIFF.
THE FEAST OF ST DAMASCUS I, POPE.
“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.” (Matthew 11 - 28 - 30).
Thursday 11th December 2024, 2nd Week of Advent is the feast of St Damasus 1 (305 - 384). Pope. Born in Rome but of Spanish descent.
Damasus presided over the See of Peter when the Church was rocked by many heresies. Arian heresy had not yet been crushed. He defended the Church against schismatics.
Damasus is the Pope who commissioned St Jerome (Priest and Doctor of the Church) to translate the Bible into common Latin. This translation called the Vulgate became the official text of the Church for over one thousand years and made the Latin language the official language of the Church.
Gracious invitation from Christ Jesus in today's Gospel. (Matthew 11: 28 - 30).
But how do we respond to this invitation from Christ?
We come to Jesus in:
Prayer.
His word.
Eucharist.
Reconciliation.
When we encounter Him in the poor.
What are the labors and burdens that we bring to Christ the Doctor to heal?
First, we bring our burdens of sin.
We are overwhelmed with fears, worries and doubts about our:
Health.
Family.
Finances.
Job.
Tools and Possessions.
Food.
Future.
We bring all the above to Jesus in confident trust that He who promised to help us will not fail.
How does Christ give us the promised rest?
He cancels our debts of sins and relieves us once and for all from guilt.
Sometimes He heals our bodies and finances. At other times, He gives us a supernatural perspective from which to view our woes.
You may call this indepth perspective therapy. People go to the Shrines of Our Lady of Lourdes in France and Guadalupe in Mexico for physical healing. Many such people receive the indepth perspective therapy and decide to stay behind to minister to pilgrims sicker than themselves..
What yoke does Christ invite us to take upon ourselves?
The yoke of Christ is the Gospel of Christ.
The yoke of Christ is the Sermon on the Mount.
Christ Himself says that this yoke is both easy and light. John the Apostle says that to keep the commandments is not burdensome. (1 John 5:3). Paul writes of the weight of glory that awaits us after some light suffering. (Romans 8: 18; 2 Corinthians 4: 17).
"Learn from me," pleads Christ. Jesus is the Teacher and the Lesson. Learn to be with me. Learn to be like me.
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Matthew 11: 30)
What makes the yoke easy and the burden light is grace.
The grace of God makes easy what is most difficult and revolting to human nature. It makes light what is most burdensome. This is the secret of the saints.
Saints suffer imprisonment, persecution and even death because they have the grace of God to help them. Without this grace, it is impossible for human nature to embrace these crosses.
Jesus Christ has promised us His grace if we embrace Him and His teaching. With His grace on our side, all things become possible.
With our daily bread of this grace given at the beginning of each day, we are equipped to live fully for Christ in these areas of human struggle: health, family, finances, job, tools, food and future. Lord, give me this day my daily bread of your grace. Amen!
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