December 10, 2025
Second Wednesday of Advent
Fr. Nicolás Márquez
The Lord give you Peace. I am fr. Nicolás Márquez, Guardian of the Convent of the Immaculate V.M., that is, the Terra Sancta College of Jerusalem.
In our spiritual journey toward Christmas, the short Gospel text proposed to us today invites us to contemplate the personality of a Jesus very close to our humanity who often, in his daily life, experiences—both physically and spiritually—fatigue and oppression.
And who better than Levi or Matthew to transmit to us this message filled with hope and consolation. He himself experienced it. Let us think only of how physically he was engaged in his office as a “tax collector,” a “publican” worker, and spiritually, in being considered a “sinner.”
It is wonderful to see how Jesus —true God and true man— shows himself so attentive to our weariness. It is an undeniable fact: we have all experienced being tired and oppressed: too many burdens, too many responsibilities, too many spaces to fill, who knows… Even today’s frenetic rhythms make us lose the peace and serenity of the spirit and give rise within us to a sense of powerlessness, which does not help us resolve so many different family, work, and interpersonal situations, etc.
And all of this becomes a yoke that oppresses us. But the invitation of Jesus, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,” is urgent.
A few days after beginning Advent, he tells us: “learn from me,” that is, believe in my teaching, which is nothing other than “taking my yoke.” It seems a paradox, but his yoke is love, and love is what lightens every fatigue and worry.
So then, dearest brothers and sisters, our rest will be complete to the extent that we allow ourselves to be loved by Jesus. Only in this way will we be able to say from the depths of our hearts: thank you, Lord Jesus, because you give rest to our life!
Peace and Good from the Holy Land.
