A people pleaser by nature, I love helping others with their burdens. No. I actually love taking burdens from others, so much so that I chose a career in healthcare just so that I could relieve others of their physical and emotional suffering everyday. Unfortunately, as I take each little parcel off someone else’s shoulders, I stack it on my own, and by the end of the day, I find my heart breaking under the emotional pressure.
By contrasting the image of the Pharisees heavily burdening others in the Gospel to the call in Isaiah to seek justice for those who are unable, today’s readings further encourage me to continue to help others with their burdens. However, experience has shown me that I am not capable of shouldering everyone’s load, and in fact, humans have not been designed to emotionally handle all of it by ourselves.
But Jesus can. After all, Jesus died on the cross in order to free every last one of us of our strain, making His shoulders the ultimate shelves for storing burdens. Does this mean I should stop addressing others’ struggles? Absolutely not. It does mean less taking and more helping. While I cannot make others fully happy or at peace, I can acknowledge their burdens and help them turn it over to God, the sole source of peace and relief in this world.
I encourage you to take a look around with me today to find those who are a little extra weighed down. Together, let’s lend them a hand with prayer and encouraging conversation so that together, we can lift their burdens up to God.
Kristen Schulte is an author for TheLivingPerson.com, an online movement that challenges Catholics to become fully alive. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for daily inspiration, blogs, and challenges!
I too am a healthcare giver tho retired for 13 years..I did enjoy those years and was glad to have been of help to those people/patients who needed my help in one way or another.I do thank our Lord for giving me the opportunity to have have served Him through our brothers/sisters.I enjoy helping people in whatever capacity I am needed.Now that zip am retired I am volunteer in my parish…all of us have to give back to our community,it’s very rewarding,may God bless us all???
Thank you Lord that we can try and help others by Praying to you forthem you are a Mighty God you know our needs we leave them at your feet Father God Amen
Hi, Kristen,
sometimes it is tempting to play a savior of the world, but it does not function very well as we can become burnt out. Some people, me at one point in my life as well, think they can alleviate difficulties of others by taking their burdens off them and try to suggest how to do it. I had to learn it is not always welcome. I started to give everything to the Lord, their hearts, souls, problems and pray for them and their conversion and salvation – a way that is invisible but will surely help their souls as no prayer goes unanswered.
Be blessed, Kristen and all the readers as well.
Vladimir