Those of us who at times have experienced pain or suffering or failure - and who has not? - will find that today's readings speak especially to them. There may have been times when we have felt weighed down or even crushed beneath a heavy burden of troubles. Or we may have worked hard to reach some important goal and then have experienced failure. Such experiences cast us down and depress our spirits. Neither the Prophet Isaiah nor Jesus condemns such feelings for they are a part of human life. Instead they gently invite us to turn our hearts to the Lord. 'Come to me', says Jesus, 'I will give you comfort and rest'. There is no promise from the Lord that He will change our situation right away. What He does assure us is that in the end good must triumph. In the meantime He reaches out His hands to each one of us to comfort us and to strengthen us.