Monday Invocation | Lenten Series: Heavy Burdens
It was almost exactly 2 years ago that life as we knew it began to fundamentally change. In the following weeks, humanity entered a new way of being—one of intermittent lockdowns, masking, distancing, and for so many of us, profound grief. In the United States alone, over 900,000 people have died from COVID-19, and reported deaths worldwide number close to 6,000,000.
Loss at this scale is difficult to comprehend.
The toll extends beyond loss of life: Many of us grieved (or are grieving) loss of opportunity, relationships, jobs, stability, health—even simple joys we might have once taken for granted have been diminished by the ongoing impacts of a viral contagion.
As we enter this season of Lent, if you find yourself worn out, know that you’re not alone. This pandemic has been a burden compounded by burdens. No part of it has been easy, and while we may hope to realize a future where health and accessibility are prioritized by our society, we’ve unfortunately seen—time and time again—how many will deny Christ’s command to love our neighbors, instead choosing indifference or antipathy toward those most marginalized. It has exposed deep inequities in our world that have long been ignored.
These are heavy, wearying burdens we bear.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus offers an open invitation: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” There’s no condition, no room to infer you must resolve or compartmentalize your feelings or questions. It’s an open, unconditional invitation.
Are you tired?
Are you discouraged?
Are you burnt out?
Are you angry?
These are valid emotions to be experiencing. Don’t shame yourself for them—rather, hold space for the gritty and the messy. God is not made uncomfortable by your pain. Jesus has an invitation for you:
“Come to me… and I will give you rest.”
Are you longing for the end of this global health crisis?
“Come to me… and I will give you rest.”
Are you longing for a new normal, a society that centers justice, equity, and access?
“Come to me… and I will give you rest.”
Are you longing for the promises of God to be realized in our world—promises of redemption and renewal?
“Come to me… and I will give you rest.”
This pandemic has itself been a heavy burden, and while we may wish for an easy way out, what Christ offers us is presence and belonging—rest. As we observe this somber anniversary, may we find this rest Christ offers without condition, and may our grief be met with hope.
Lent is just that: Christ meeting our grief with hope and our suffering with solidarity. Over these next few weeks, our Monday Invocations will reflect on what it means to be like Christ as LGBTQ+ Christians and allies in a world filled with already but not yet fulfilled promises. This season allows us to experience anew God’s presence in and with us, and Christ invites us to embody that same posture of solidarity in the world. We look forward to embarking on this journey with you!
