Thoughts for the Day

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Our modern life is full of activity. We rush hither and thither - for example, taking children to school or to their clubs, doing the shopping, attending church, caring for elderly parents, or going to work, and around all this we fit in the constant checking for emails and text messages and answering the phone. All this can be made much worse for those who work at home. Even those who are retired are sucked into this whirlpool. No wonder so many people suffer from high blood pressure and stress.

In today's Gospel reading Mark gives us a picture of the stresses that Jesus and the disciples are under. The disciples return from their first mission to go out and to teach and heal the people. They are full of news and need to share it all with Jesus, but they can't do this for the crowds will not give them breathing space. Jesus says to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while."

Whatever our age and circumstances we all need to pause and be still sometimes. We need to lift our eyes and see the view, sniff the fresh air, and mentally pause the clock for a little. As Christians we need also to tune ourselves into God and refresh ourselves spiritually, whether this is by having some quiet time, or going on a retreat - it doesn't need to be long, but it's an absolute necessity. We cannot go on being active Christians if we simply go on being active - we also have to rest in God for awhile.

Father-God,
help us not to be so busy
that we have forgotten why we are busy.
May we try to find quiet time
to stand apart from the hectic world,
in order to refresh our bodies
as well as our souls,
and to simply rest in Your love.
Amen.