Its either one or the other my friends…The burden of sin or the burden of God’s will…..There is no escaping this choice…So choose well - A lot depends on your choice

Today at Holy Mass we hear from St Matthew’s gospel…The text is very short but there are many layers to explore within it…..”Jesus said to the crowds: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light”……First question - Do you believe that the “yoke” of Christ is “easy and light”?….Let's be honest - Most do not…....Oh,how humanity gives lip service to God when it comes to doing what the Church says…We somehow “think” its too much…”It can’t be done”…."Its not practical!"....Or we tell ourself…..If we attempt to do it, we will be “missing out” and will lead an incomplete life…….Nothing could be further from the truth!…God came to give us life and give it abundantly - That is in the here and now!……When we come of age, we all make a choice and with that choice comes a “burden” - No getting around this reality!….If we choose the will of God, yes, there is a burden laid upon our shoulders…But with that burden comes deep peace and joy….If we choose to ignore the will of God…Some tell themselves that they will have it easier…Actually, the very opposite happens…Life becomes harder…..The burden of sin and death is infinitely heavier then the burden of the cross because with each choice we make there are consequences - No getting around it…..This is why Jesus tells us today…..”For my yoke is easy, and my burden light”…..Its either one or the other…The burden of sin or the burden of God’s will…..There is no escaping this choice and no choice in and of itself is a choice…..Life with God is so much better then life without God

“Behold, the Lord comes to save his people; blessed are those prepared to meet him.”

Words - Words - Words…So easily said…People need to see for themselves the truth of the Gospel…..Whenever I have a conversation with someone who “does not believe in God” or denies the Truth contained in the Catholic Church…I always point to this statement……….”You tell a tree by the fruit it bears”…When we look closely at the lives of people who follow the will of God and do not just give “lip service” to their Catholic faith…You will find they are joyful people, at peace with the world and with themselves, have stable marriages, they are self-disciplined, they are not enslaved by vices or debt…..Just open your eyes and take a good look……Now juxtapose that to the lives of people you know personally or who are apart of the mainstream culture who chose a lifestyle, which opposes God’s will….Again, just open your eyes and take a good sober look……The outcome of the comparison should be obvious….But because the outcome of that comparison is so glaring…Mankind chooses not to “look” because if we did look and self-reflect, that would mean we would have to change….And there are many reasons why we do not want to change…The first of which is our pride………Many years ago I knew a man named Michael who had a long standing extra-marital affair…..After many years he came to terms with the pain he caused his wife and son and reconciled with the Church…I got to know Michael as he was healing…..I watched how God slowly healed his relationship with his wife…How God began working in Michael’s life…..Now Michael is faithful Catholic…His marriage overtime has healed….His son who was leading a bad life too has also started to pursue the Lord…..All because Michael was willing to acknowledge his mistake, ask God to forgive him and rely on God’s grace through daily prayer and the Sacraments to improve his marriage….As a result, Michael’s life has drastically improved - Its as clear as the nose on your face!……Michael like many today could have given “lip service” to God (and to himself) and continued down the road he was on…..Lying to himself - ”I’m doing just fine”……Instead, he was sick and tired of living the life he was living…He saw with his own two eyes the “good life”, which is living in the state of grace and pursuing God's will……But here is the catch - There is always a catch…We cannot have it “both ways” - Far too many think we can…We cannot have God in our life and continue to pursue a life of sin….We must make a choice……Michael did and today Michael is a new man…His marriage is healed and he is thriving - Its as clear as the nose on your face!

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light”

Today in the gospel, Jesus is telling us something that is universally true, no matter who we are….Life with God is infinitely better than life without God…The devil tries to tell humanity otherwise - And far too many believe the lie - And make no mistake - It is a lie!….The question is for all those reading this today - Do you believe me?….If you don’t, this is what I have to say to you - ”You tell a tree by the fruit it bears”…All you have to do is take a good sober look…..Living in and through the will of God works…Such a life brings deep peace and it brings joy…..Still don’t believe me?….Why don’t you take another look?….If you do, maybe just maybe you will then “take the first step” and make a change?……..Its either one or the other my friends…The burden of sin or the burden of God’s will…..There is no escaping this choice…So choose well - A lot depends on your choice