First Reading: Jeremiah 23:1-6
First Reading (Semi-cont.): 2 Samuel 7:1-14a
Psalm: Psalm 23
Psalm (Semi-cont.): Psalm 89:20-37
Second Reading: Ephesians 2:11-22
Gospel: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
This Gospel has lessons for us. One of the most important lessons that it has for busy 21st century people is that even Jesus needs some down time. Jesus routinely goes on retreat. Jesus routinely withdraws to pray.
I hear the howls of protest even now. "Jesus wasn't trying to work remotely during a pandemic while also monitoring the school progress of children working from home while hoping that the internet connection holds together." "Jesus didn't have a parent with a monthly health crisis to disrupt all of our plans." "Jesus didn't have all this home maintenance to do. Jesus could just look at leaky plumbing, and it would be healed."
But the ministry of Jesus has much to teach us, and one of the most important lessons is that we can't take care of others when we're not taking care of ourselves. Jesus prays, Jesus takes retreats, Jesus shares meals with friends--these are the activities that leave him ready to care for the masses.
Our mission is the same as Christ's. Like Jesus, we're surrounded by hordes of hungry people. Broken people need us. Perhaps, like Christ, you feel pursued by all the people who want so much from you.
Yet we will not be able to complete our mission if we don't practice basic self-care. The message of today's Gospel is that it's O.K. to take time to pray. It's O.K. to retreat. It's O.K. to eat a slow meal with friends. It's O.K. to do those activities that refresh you and renew you, even if you're the only one who understands why these activities bring you joy.
Not only is it O.K., it's essential.
Christ, the incarnation of God on earth, needed to take a break. What makes you think that you are any different?
And then, once we've done the work of caring for ourselves and each other, we can do the work of healing the larger world.
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