The first time I heard it, I understood the meaning and laughed to myself when a friend said: "She needs to call him in for a come to Jesus meeting." Even though the remark made me chuckle, I think it can run the risk of misleading us about the Lord Jesus.
 
As we hear today from chapter eleven of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, "coming to Jesus" has a different sense in the mind of Christ. “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” More than coming to him, Jesus invites us to him; indeed, it almost sounds as if he is begging us to come and find respite and refuge in him.
 
Let us consider the backdrop to today’s reading. You will recall that in last Sunday's Gospel reading, from chapter ten of Matthew, Jesus issues a strong challenge quite distinct from today's reading: "Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me." Jesus speaks with forceful clarity. His challenge requires hard work, commitment and perseverance.
 
Last Sunday’s message seems to be more one of “tough love,” whereas today’s reading gives us more tender love. It is the same love and the same Lord giving love to his beloved children, who, by knowing us so dearly, knows how to love us and what we truly need.
 
The good Lord knows that sometimes loving us means we need to be pushed, admonished and challenged and given new focus. Other times, he knows we need his tender mercy, his consolation and his rest. He never changes, but the circumstances and crosses in life do. 


I often wonder if we believe enough that God knows how heavy our crosses can become. We might reflexively say yes, but I am not always so sure. I am convinced we need reminders. Pope Francis highlights both God's awareness of our struggles and their inherent worth and dignity when he states in his moving exhortation, Joy of the Gospel, "A small step, in the midst of great human limitations, can be more pleasing to God than a life which appears outwardly in order but moves through the day without confronting great difficulties” (EG, 44).
 
The Lord’s knowledge of us is quite intimate, for nothing escapes his thought and concern for us. I have said frequently, “God’s knowledge of us is always at the service of his mercy. He knows us dearly because he first and foremost loves us.”
 
True belief, indeed, trust, in the Lord is the fruit of being in relationship and in frequent prayer with him. We will know to come to Christ as true rest and new life in the measure that we know ourselves as God's beloved children.

Being invited to find rest in him is, obviously, for us to be consoled, lifted up and strengthened. However, when Christ either challenges us or invites and comforts us, there is always an overriding purpose in his mind: our well-being and conversion and redemption. In other words, for strengthening our bond with him.
 
The prophet Isaiah reminds us of that as he reiterates God’s constant call to us: “Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord: Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; Though they be red like crimson, they may become white as wool.” (6: 18).
 
 
 
More than just to find rest, his invitation is to reset and renew our relationship with him. It is geared towards the renewal of our being and our commitment to continue following Christ and bringing his joy and peace to others. His rest and consolation are not for relaxing, but the fruit of his concern and recognition that we can grow weak.
 
His rest is so that we rise again in the here and now and continue to do his will, to share his mercy with others after having experienced it ourselves. That is true rest and what is meant to be its result: to rest in the trust of being God’s beloved and then having the courage to go and love as we are loved.