>>This 95 year old guys walking in the woods and all of a sudden he hears from the ground, “Pick me up and kiss me, and I will turn you into a beautiful princess.” He looks he’s sees a talking frog. He picks up the frog, puts it in his pocket. The frog says again, “If you kiss me, I’ll be turned into a beautiful princess.” And the guy says, “At my age, I prefer a talking frog.” 

[laughing] 

I really like that one. The elderly man freely chose to pass up on an opportunity this gift. In today’s gospel, a much more profound gift is offered. Jesus says, “Come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest and you will find rest through me. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me from gentle and humble of heart.” There is no one who, at one time or another, hasn’t found life burdensome, weary, difficult, hard. At times, many of us want to even throw the towel in saying, “I give up!” But Jesus says, “Your souls will find rest. For my yolk is easy and my burden light.” Story of a couple married 50 years and they’re at their 50th wedding anniversary mass with a priest during his homily. The woman is incredibly, incredibly deaf and a priest says to to the couple, “For 50 years you’ve been tried and true.” And the deaf woman says to her husband, “What did he say?” And he says, “He said, for 50 years you’ve been tried and true.” And she says, “Well, I’m sick and tired of you too.” 

[laughter] 

Sometimes in life we don’t hear very well. We need to listen. We need to allow the Lord Jesus to touch our lives. Many times the Lord pursues and runs after us. We’re so busy about so many things, or sometimes so busy talking. We’re not listening. But I know this in life. In life, suffering is not an option. But misery and bitterness remain choices. What is our attitude? 

Our life story is unfinished. It’s incomplete. The chapters of our lives are still being written one chapter at a time. We have choice. We can choose to go through life alone, angry, or bitter. Keeping our fingers crossed and hoping for the best or we can trust our lives over to the Lord. It’s not easy. The Lord says, “Come to me and I will give you rest.” Always drawing strength from the Lord. A life rooted in Jesus is not a promised rose garden, but the Lord is with us to be our peace, our strength, and our guide. As we grow older. Is life making me better or bitter? The choice is ours.