The apostles returned from their mission and reported all that they had done with great joy and enthusiasm. Jesus invited them to come to a quiet place to rest for “people were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat.”
Reading this verse, I cannot help but think of our own priests who celebrate four to five Masses on Sundays, wake up in the middle of the night when called to anoint a dying patient or to exorcise a possessed. Some travel several kilometers on foot to attend to the needs of our far-flung communities. I remember one priest who literally drags himself to the altar and to the BEC’s on Sundays, when attacked by severe gout. One Holy Thursday during the Mass of the Last Supper, he crawled on the sanctuary from one apostle to another to wash and kiss their feet.
No wonder Pope Francis could only express with great affection his gratitude and appreciation for the generous work of priests. Addressing an assembly of parish priests gathered in Rome, he emphatically affirmed, “The Church could not go on without your dedication and pastoral service.”
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while,” Jesus invited his apostles. And so, taking a boat, they crossed the lake. No sooner had they reached the other side than they found a large crowd awaiting them. The gospel does not say how the apostles reacted to this unexpected occurrence. Eagerly looking forward to having some rest in some getaway place after an exhausting mission, they must have felt intruded by the sudden ambush.
It is not easy to deal with failed plans and unexpected turn of events. One is easily irked and becomes resentful of an interference. That is why instead of wondering how the apostles reacted, it is more helpful to ask how Jesus responded to the situation.
The gospel tells us that when Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them for they were like sheep without a shepherd. Earlier, Jesus too looked forward to finding a quiet and peaceful place. He was still grieving the cruel death of his cousin, John the Baptist, then. However when he saw the crowd, he saw their deeper need and hunger. And so he began to teach them.
The unexpected appearance of the crowd interrupted the planned vacation of Jesus and the apostles. We too experience similar interruptions with regard to our own plans. Interruptions are part of life, and hence unavoidable. What is important is that we are able to find God also in interruptions.
A final word. The apostles may not have succeeded in finding a quiet place, but their company with Jesus and with one another in the boat was enough rest for them to be refreshed and re-energized.
Here we find a valuable lesson about rest. The third commandment to make the Lord’s day holy by keeping the Sabbath rest is more than just a mandate to refrain from doing work, which already in itself is a manifestation of the Creator’s compassionate concern for us his creatures. More than the need to take a break from physical exhaustion, our greater need is to replenish our inner resources so we can live fully and meaningfully. This can only be obtained from God, the source of life.
Hence, in our Christian tradition, we keep the Lord’s day holy by coming together at the Eucharistic table to listen to the Word and partake of the Bread of life. It is the day when we celebrate our communion with God and with one other as God’s people. It is also in this spirit that we hold Sunday as a special day for the family. Simple family moments like the Sunday meal and recreation are important for they literally re-create us. More importantly they deepen our bond, so necessary, for the family is after all our primary source of strength and support in this life’s difficult journey.
Most of all, we find the optimum rest we deeply yearn for in the Lord of the Sabbath. Let us make our Sunday truly the Lord’s day. Let take time to be with him, just as he wanted to be with his apostles, even if only for some moments in the boat. Let us heed his loving invitation, “Come to me all you who are weary and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Mt 11:28)