Today's first reading is from the Prophet Isaiah. It fits nicely into our Advent readings because it resonates with a significant theme of the season: hope and trust in the personal love of God, who wants what is best for us.

God's is a rescuing love and a love that empowers us to act on His behalf. The images here capture our imagination and promise an exciting response to God's loving initiative: "They that hope in the Lord ... will soar as with eagles' wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint."

A reading like this invites us to reflect on the initiative of God, who calls us to receive the strength we need to respond with vigour to His call.

In today's gospel reading, Jesus says: "Come to me all you who labour and are burdened." And that includes most of us today because we work hard and feel the burdens of our duties and responsibilities.

Jesus gives us another imagery; we should take up his yoke because his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. We may wonder how a yoke can be easy or a burden light. Jesus tells us that bearing a heavy burden with love makes the burden lighter.

As this Christmas approaches and our burdens are heavy, maybe we can find a few minutes a day to come to Jesus and express our love to him. If we do that, we have the promise of Jesus that our burdens will seem lighter and easier to bear.