Newsletter July 5th 2026 / 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The “Heavy Backpack” Secret

Have you ever had a day where everything felt… heavy? Maybe it was a huge pile of homework, an argument with a friend, or just feeling like you have to be perfect all the time. It’s like carrying a school backpack filled with textbooks you don’t even need. You’re tired before the day even starts.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus notices this. He looks at the people around him—people who were stressed, tired, and trying too hard to do everything “right”—and he says something that sounds a bit strange: “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Then he adds, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Think about that for a second. Jesus isn’t promising that our lives will suddenly be free of chores or tests. Instead, he’s offering to carry the “heavy” part with us.

In the reading from Zechariah, we see a vision of a King who doesn’t arrive on a scary warhorse, but on a humble donkey. He isn’t a “bossy” king; he’s a gentle one. And that’s the secret: Jesus is the kind of leader who wants to be your teammate, not your taskmaster.

When we feel overwhelmed, it’s usually because we’re trying to carry the weight of the world on our own shoulders. We feel like we have to prove ourselves. But the message today is that you don’t have to do it alone.

This week, try this: 

When you feel that “heavy backpack” feeling—when you’re stressed, anxious, or just tired—

take a deep breath and say, “Jesus, I’m giving this part to you.”

You don’t have to be everything to everyone. You just have to be yourself, resting in the fact that your teammate is the God of the universe, and he’s much stronger than any burden you’re carrying.

Rest is not just for Sunday; it’s a way of living. And it starts by letting Jesus help you carry the load.