Mark 6:30-34 "The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught."

"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" (Mark 6:30-34).

Question:

At this point in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus has begun attracting attention with his earliest demonstrations of healing—except in his hometown of Nazareth, where his message is dismissed and he finds he cannot do his work. He has gathered his 12 disciples and begun sending them out "two by two" (Mark 6:7). Herod has had John the Baptist put to death (Mark 6:17-29), and the result is that attention to the ministry of Jesus—who was known to be a follower of John—has intensified.

Comment:

Now the disciples have returned, full of stories of their own teaching and healing experiences—and probably full of questions for Jesus as well. The ministry is growing exponentially, crowds are increasing, healing demands are increasing—and Jesus realizes the need for a “time out.” The energy of God available to heal and transform the world expresses through us according to the seven-stage flow that is first defined in the first creation story in the Book of Genesis. Jesus recognizes that the “day of rest” represented by the Sabbath is an important part of that flow. The seventh day is not a break from the creative process; it is the culmination of that process—a relaxation into the Allness of God that allows the healings, demonstrations and teachings to fully express.   And so Jesus and his disciples take a break. It doesn't last as long as Jesus originally intended it would, because the need is so great. So many people are so spiritually lost—like sheep without a shepherd—that Jesus has compassion and returns to his spiritual work. But at least for the duration of that boat ride, he and his disciples have some time to relax and regroup. The “seventh day” energy of the Sabbath can't be measured in terms of how much time we take away. Simply the intention to relax, trust and enjoy can be enough to refresh us and empower us to continue on our spiritual path.   Blessings!

Rev. Ed