July 22, 2012: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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. (Mark 6:30-34)

Imagine yourself in this picture. Jesus is together with his apostles who have been very busy going to many places to teach the things Jesus has taught them about how to be good and generous. Imagine you are very tired–you have been teaching with another apostle, a good friend, and have walked a long way and you want now just to sit down and rest. And suddenly many people show up because they have heard Jesus and want to hear even more from this wonderful man. And you watch as Jesus–just as tired as you are–begins to talk with them because he knows they are hungry for God’s good news.

Action:

Sometime during this week when you have been very busy–maybe studying or playing baseball or basketball or working at home at chores — and are very tired and want to go to bed and sleep — stay up for ten minutes to think about how it must have felt to both the apostles and to Jesus, despite being very, very tried, to have to put themselves aside because people have come to them to learn what God wants people to know about what he has in store for them. When you do this, think about how Jesus used all his time on earth teaching us what God wants us to know in order to be happy with Him.