“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest,” says the Lord. // Matthew 11:28 (Alleluia verse)
I swiped a tear from my cheek as I removed the last few items off my desk and nestled them carefully into the packing crate. Beside the pens and the witty office memes that had once wallpapered my space (courtesy of my fun-loving cubicle mate) lay the framed photo of Jesus that I always kept close.
I sniffled quietly. Why are you sending me back, Lord?
The warmth and safety in His eyes pierced my questioning heart and offered a ray of peace in the midst of sadness. Still, I wrestled with what this meant.
Five months. That’s how long I had been working at a different office branch while my regular work building underwent extensive renovations. What was estimated to be a two-month project ended up taking more than double the time. And in that time, the slower pace and family-like atmosphere of my temporary assignment served as a refuge and a shelter when I needed it most. My energy picked up, my health improved, and the excessive tiredness that often left me slogging through the workday was gone. I also laughed. A lot. Honestly, I hadn’t realized how burned out I was until my heavy burdens were lifted.
But now, as I prepared to leave, the avalanche of all that awaited me came barreling in.
Let Me be your Bethany, I later heard our Lord whisper to my heart.
In his book 33 Days to Greater Glory, Father Michael Gaitley writes this: “The house of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus in Bethany was something of an oasis of peace and joy for Jesus. He deeply loved the family there, and their home became the place that the Father specially prepared for His Son to strengthen and console him...”
Clearly, Bethany was the safe haven where Jesus found friendship, hospitality, and shelter. How beautiful that in the tenderness of His Heart, He offers all that and more to us (see Matthew 11:28).
Sister, if you find yourself aching for respite from the heaviness of work, motherhood, or ministry, rest in Jesus. His love is the only Bethany we’ll ever need.
Cathy Webb is a consecrated virgin for the Diocese of Wilmington and the creator of the Sacred Heart to Heart prayer journal. A full-time Library Assistant, she finds joy in embracing the sacrament of the present moment and spreading the fragrance of Love everywhere she goes. She also treasures large cups of tea; her Chihuahua, Lucy; and anything Saint Therese. When she’s not writing and creating for the Kingdom, she can be found wearing a pretty dress while adoring the Heart of her Divine Spouse in the Eucharist. She is a contributing author to Blessed Conversations: Home. Find out more about her here.
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