Jesus in the Gospel makes many demands on us. He expects a total and unconditional giving of ourselves to his mission of making the Reign of God a reality in our world. But he is also very aware of our weaknesses and our difficulties. It is a beautifully compassionate Jesus we see in today's short Gospel: "Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest." Everyone of us at some time or other will experience such a weariness and wonder how we can carry on. These are words which we associate especially with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a Heart of Compassion and Love. Jesus, too, had his share of troubles and weariness and so he urges us to follow his example. "Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart." The yoke of Jesus can at times seem heavy but the alternative, going our own way, will only lead to greater difficulties. There is a beautiful image: the 'yoke' Jesus speaks about is actually a double yoke, one designed for two animals. Jesus asks us to share the yoke with Him and we will carry it together. And then the words of Isaiah come true: "Those who hope in Yahweh renew their strength, they put out wings like eagles. They run and do not grow weary, walk and never tire."