I leave Sisyphus at the foot of the mountain! One always finds one's burden again. But Sisyphus teaches the higher fidelity that negates the gods and raises rocks. He too concludes that all is well. This universe henceforth without a master seems to him neither sterile nor futile. Each atom of that stone, each mineral flake of that night-filled mountain, in itself forms a world. The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.
from The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus
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I always imagined that you would leave without saying a word.
No tearful goodbyes, or that one last argument that leaves my gut feeling all twisted up.
You were that type of person, not exactly scared of confrontation, but you were tired of the anger.
I was surprised to see you sitting on our couch.
One hand on your knee and the other on your old suitcase.
Your back was turned to me, wide as a mountain range but as fragile as glass.
"Tell me to go, please."
I watched you weep bitterly, cursing at me with all you had.
You told me I was the first person to make you so upset.
All good things die at some point or another, but I really thought, this would last forever.
So I told you to leave, take your bag and go, and I hid my heart for a millennium.
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Burdens
One of the hardest things you’ll ever do? Bear the burdens of life.
Every day, we’re continually hit with burdens. From all sides. Whether it’s a couple of big ones or a lot of little ones, they weigh us down. Because they add up fast.
It’s easy to get down when we’re weighed down.
It’s easy to get focused on our burdens, to let them become the centers of our life. Since they can consume so much of our time, our emotional energy. They can even become the center of our prayer life.
Where our time with God becomes little more than a review of our burdens.
Followed by a replay of our burdens. And then another. Leaving little space for anything else. Much less space for us just to be with God.
One of the best ways to lighten that load? Pray for someone else.
It sounds backwards. After all, you and I need so much. We’ve got so much bearing down on us. Where are we going to find the time and energy to lift someone else’s burden, when we can barely lift our own?
But that’s the funny thing about prayer, about how God works. It’s what Jesus is talking about in today’s Gospel. The more you and I bear each other’s burdens, the lighter our own burdens become.
The more we share the load to take the weight off someone else’s shoulders, the more God shares our load to take the weight off our shoulders.
At times, God calls us to lift each other’s burdens with physical help.
When you know about someone’s need, do something if you can. Give them a ride. Buy their groceries. Cover their shift at work when they’re sick. Watch their kids so they can apply for a job.
At all times, God calls us to lift each other’s burdens with prayer.
When you know about someone’s need, you can always do something. Pray for them. Not just once, but often.
And let them know you’re praying for them. That sounds kind of vain. What about all of that “let your good deeds be done in secret stuff?”
The point of letting them know is not to make them think you’re wonderful for doing what God made you to do. Doing what you’re supposed to do.
The point of letting them know is to lighten their burden. By letting them know they’re not alone.
So I need to let you know something. I’ve been praying for you.
At every Mass I serve, you are in my Mass intentions.
If you’re part of my parish family, I’m praying for you.
If you’ve heard one of my homilies, I’m praying for you.
If you’ve been following me online, I’m praying for you.
If this is the first time you’ve ever bumped into any of this stuff, I’m praying for you.
If you haven’t heard it in a long time. If you’ve never heard it. Or even if you just need to hear it again, then let me tell you the simple truth.
God loves you. More than you know.
And even if no one else is praying for you, I am.
You are not doing this alone.
Today’s Readings
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"Love and trust grow a kind of strength that is much bigger than we each possess. To have that kind of strength, it's not enough to love someone. You have to trust them to share the burdens you carry”
- Amaya (The Dragon Prince S5E04)
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