We are invited to embrace the paradox of life’s joys and sorrows. Jesus assures us that his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. The pain one brings upon oneself by living outside of evident reality is a greater and longer-lasting pain than the brief pain of facing it head on. Facing reality can be painful, but avoiding it brings a deeper and more enduring suffering. When we rest in God, we find a peace that makes life’s challenges bearable. Enlightened people often describe their experience of God as deeply restful and full of joy. We are called to seek this peace, to rest in the good, the true, and the beautiful. This resting allows us to face life’s difficulties with strength. In God, we find the energy and love to serve others, and in serving, we discover a joy that cannot be pursued directly.
May we have the courage to face reality head on,
trusting that in God’s peace we will find the strength
to bear life’s burdens and the joy that follows.
(inspired by Richard Rohr, Adam’s Return; Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, The Book of Joy)