This post is a shortened form of Michael Paterson’s homily to the St Margaret’s congregation on Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday in Advent, in which he adapted The Message version of Matthew 11:28–30:

Jesus said to the crowd: “Are you tired? Are you worn out? Are you drained and running on empty? Then come to me. Come away with me. Courie in, slow down … slow … right … down and breathe and rest and recover. I’ll show you what real rest looks like. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. I will help you learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

‘The unforced rhythms of grace’ – now there’s a phrase to sit with. Duty demands – grace invites. Duty puts the pressure on – grace take the pressure off. Duty results in doing what you have to do – grace results in doing what you want to do. And so I would like to propose three rhythms of grace for us to try this week

Rhythm 1 is Practice the Pause

Be still … still … still

Rhythm 2 is Accept the Truth

that no matter what you have done or ever will do
you are loved, loved, loved

Rhythm 3 is Help is at hand

so ask, ask, ask

Dear friends, on this mid-Advent Sunday, when we take a well-earned break from heavy-duty religion and glimpse the joy that is just over the horizon, let’s yield to God’s invitation to courie in, slow down … slow … right … down … knowing that we are loved, confident that help is at hand, and yielding to the grace of rest, of healing and of deep inner peace. Amen.