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Gospel: Mark 6:30-34
The apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them,
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.
They hastened there on foot from all the towns
and arrived at the place before them.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Summer is here! Some days, doesn’t the heat feel oppressive? It does to me, certainly when the only color I’m wearing aside from black is the white tab in my collar.
But with this sultry weather also comes the opportunity to bathe in the sun, to dip in the ocean, to read a good book at the beach.
It’s what we do when summer comes: we travel, take a long-awaited vacation, or at least a Friday off and journey down the shore.
While the demands placed upon us might never seem to end, there’s also the understanding that we’re only human; sometimes we all need to rest.
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A brisk reading of the Gospels would make it seem like Jesus never did, as if he were a workaholic, tightly packing his schedule with sharing the Good News, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, and bringing the dead back to life.
The overachiever in me clings to this image of a “workaholic” Lord, as if it sanctifies my own busyness, giving me an excuse to never stop.
The Lord did live with a sense of urgency; he knew his three-year ministry was coming to an end. There was so much to do, and so little time.
Yet, today’s Gospel provides us with a different image of Jesus. Not a “workaholic” Lord, but one who invites his disciples to rest. “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while,” he says.
I’m sure the disciples were hesitant at first. What could be more important than Jesus’ ministry of healing and his message of salvation? People were depending upon him!
Eight centuries prior, the prophet Isaiah foresaw this day. Isaiah prophesied that, when the Messiah comes, the blind will see; the deaf will hear; the lame will walk; and the mute will speak.
Jesus was performing all of these miracles. Even the disciples themselves were performing miracles in Christ’s name.
With all of this divine momentum snowballing, why stop? Why not rest later?
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Because there was one thing that was as important to Jesus as performing good works: forming his disciples.
Soon enough, the students will become the teachers; the followers will become the leaders; the sheep will become the shepherds; the crowds will become their flock.
Christ is preparing to hand his ministry over to them, his often imperfect, workaholic disciples. They need this time away in order to discover Jesus; to learn more about who he is, not just what he can do.
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Specifically, they need to process.
A lot has happened over the last few weeks.
In this single chapter of Mark’s Gospel – chapter 6 – the Lord was rejected in his hometown; the disciples went on their first missionary journey; John the Baptist was beheaded by King Herod; and Jesus fed a crowd of five-thousand with five loaves and two fish.
That’s a lot to take in: rejection, missionary work, death, and miracles.
If the disciples act as busybodies, idolizing their work and never taking time to reflect, then they’ll lose the bigger picture. The Good News is about more than healing; it’s about salvation.
Rest will help them process this reality.
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Rest will also revitalize the Lord and his disciples.
If the Apostles never pause, ponder, and pray, then they’ll burn out. What type of foundation would that be for the Church – a bunch of burnt-out fishermen?
The same is true for us. What good are we if we’re tired, over-worked, and stretched too thin? Maybe a lot has happened in our lives over the last year.
“So, come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest for a while,” the Lord says today.
Make time to ponder and pray.
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Where is my “deserted place”? Where and when do I rest with the Lord?
Do I rest with Jesus?
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Summer is finally here. With it not only comes the opportunity to steal a day away, to read a good book, or to dip in the ocean. It also brings the chance to spend quality time with the Lord, reflecting on our spiritual journey.
“Come away and rest,” he says.
What might that look like for me?
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Image credits: (1) Adobe Stock (2) Scientific American (3) Upside-Down Savior