It’s often easier for us to read about God or execute spiritual practices than to have a true relationship with Him due to psychological wounds from our past. We need to learn to open our hearts to allow God to give us an experience of His comfort and care.

“See, your king shall come to you;

a just savior is he,

meek, and riding on an ass,

on a colt, the foal of an ass.”

“Brothers and sisters:

You are not in the flesh;

on the contrary, you are in the spirit,

if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.”

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,

and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

for I am meek and humble of heart;

and you will find rest for yourselves.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Two secular psychologists promote an Idealized Parent Figure Therapy protocol where patients are asked to create perfect, imaginary parent figures to relate with in order to heal. As Catholics, we already have perfect real parents in God the Father and the Blessed Virgin Mary. We need them to re-parent us.

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Learning to feel reassured and comforted from God the Father and Mary is not a mental exercise. It’s a matter of becoming a small child full of simple trust. This is difficult because many of us have been hurt when we’ve allowed ourselves to become vulnerable to people in our lives. Because of these experiences, we don’t want to allow ourselves to be vulnerable to God.

When the Gospel says “my yoke is easy,” the translation of easy is “fits”. God selects a yoke that fits us perfectly; just as a carpenter can make a yoke for an animal that fits it perfectly. When we pick our own yokes, our own crosses, our own practices, we sometimes experience pain, chafing and greater difficulties. 

This week, reflect on where you go for comfort when you’re in your dark place. Do you try to find consolation in your spouse, children, or friend? Or in alcohol, food or TV? Then, start doing St. Ignatius’ particular examination of conscience that focuses on a particular vice and its opposite virtue. Ask God to help you trust Him to be the ultimate source for comfort and consolation. Ask Him to help you experience that.