“Bring Me everything that seeks to weigh you down. I am your Father!” (Inner Word)
This word expresses in a different way what Jesus tells us in the Gospel: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Mt 11:28)
This refers particularly to the inner state of our soul. It is not uncommon to experience oppressive moods accompanied by thoughts that darken our state of mind. This is not about specific sins that require forgiveness, for which we Catholics have the wonderful sacrament of Confession. Nor does it refer to clinical depression, which requires its own form of treatment.
Rather, it refers to feelings of unhappiness, perhaps also a general dissatisfaction or unresolved disappointments. Often, the causes of these dark moods cannot be identified. However, simply brushing them aside is not truly possible, and a gloomy atmosphere remains—not only for ourselves, but for others as well.
Here, our Father invites us to come to Him with these dark moments. This means entering into a conversation with God, and we will soon notice a change. However, we must also be willing to let go of these dark moments. Perhaps we have grown accustomed to them. It is important here to clearly choose to turn away from them. Our Father will let us know that we can overcome these dark clouds when we encounter His love.
The key is that God’s love shows us that we are loved by Him, so we always have a reason to rejoice. When our soul receives God’s love and lets in the light of joy, the gloom will fade away.