Genesis 46:1-7, 28-34
Psalms 42, 43, 85, 86
1 Corinthians 9:1-15
Mark 6:30-46
Mark 6:31
Jesus 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.
Check your calendar. What does it look like? If I needed a 3-hour time slot in your calendar, when would it be available? Our times are filled with family, work and personal commitments. There is a soccer game for one child on Saturday morning and another one for another child Saturday afternoon. You have a doctor’s appointment that will take half the day. There is a high school reunion and a conference to go to out of state. There is a board meeting for the non-profit you support and several committee meetings to attend. There is that report due at work by the end of the week. A grandchild’s birthday is this week. How do we juggle our time to get everything accomplished? When do we have a time for ourselves?
The Gospel of Mark is an action-packed narrative of Jesus’ life and death. During Jesus’ life, he moves back and forth among the villages teaching and preaching and instructing his disciples. The disciples were with Jesus every step of the way. Jesus realized that his disciples’ schedules were way too packed with events and meetings. Jesus called them away – away from their busyness and away from the people. Jesus called the disciples to a quiet place. Jesus knew that for the disciples to be able to follow their calling that they must be rested.
We too need to be rested if we are going to follow our own calling in life. Jesus is calling us during this Lent 2012 to come away to a quiet place. Jesus is calling us to rest. Jesus is calling us to look at what is important – really important – in our lives.
Will we spend time in that quiet place?
Fr. John Pitts