Mission is not just about works and activities. Rest is part of doing mission.
That is why He asks His disciples to go to secluded place by themselves.

In today's Gospel, Jesus is presented to have empathized both with his disciples and the people.

Jesus must have felt the tiredness of the apostles whom he sent out on a mission.

Hence, he invited them to a remote place where they could rest.

Likewise, Jesus had empathy with the people when he saw their condition likened to sheep without a shepherd.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Jeremiah 23:1-6

"Woe to the shepherds

Who mislead and scatter the sheep of my pasture!"

This is the message of Yahweh, God of Israel, to the shepherds in charge of my people, "You have scattered my sheep and driven them away instead of caring for them. Now I will deal with you because of your evil deeds.

 

I will gather the remnant of my sheep from every land to which I have driven them and I will bring them back to the grasslands. They will be fruitful and increase in number. I will appoint shepherds who will take care of them. No longer will they fear or be terrified. No one will be lost."

Yahweh further says, "The day is coming when I will raise up a king who is David's righteous successor. He will rule wisely and govern with justice and righteousness. That will be a grandiose era when Judah will enjoy peace and Israel will live in safety. He will be called Yahweh-our-justice!

 

Ps 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6 (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Ephesians 2:13-18

But now, in Christ Jesus and by his blood, you who were once far off have come near. For Christ is our peace, he who has made the two peoples one, destroying in his own flesh the wall-the hatred-which separated us. He abolished the Law with its commands and precepts. He made peace in uniting the two peoples in him, creating out of the two one New Man.

 

He destroyed hatred and reconciled us both to God through the cross, making the two one body. He came to proclaim peace; peace to you who were far off, peace to the Jews who were near. Through him we – the two peoples – approach the Father in one Spirit.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Mark 6:30-34

The apostles returned and reported to Jesus all they had done and taught. Then he said to them, "Go off by yourselves to a remote place and have some rest." For there were so many people coming and going that the apostles had no time even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a secluded area by themselves.

 

But people saw them leaving and many could guess where they were going. So, from all the towns they hurried there on foot, arriving ahead of them.

As Jesus went ashore he saw a large crowd, and he had compassion on them for they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"As Jesus went ashore he saw a large crowd, and he had compassion on them..."

 

Lectio Divina

 

READ: The disciples returned from their mission. They reported to Jesus all that they had done and taught. Jesus invited his disciples to go off into a remote place so that they could rest. Jesus knew that the apostles did not even have time to eat because they were attending to the needs of many people. However, many people still followed them and some even arrived in the place on foot ahead of them. When Jesus was coming ashore, he saw a huge crowd. He had compassion on them for they were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus taught them many things.

 

REFLECT: The human Jesus was aware of the human limitations of attending to other people's needs. He knew that his disciples also needed some rest. The disciples had returned from their mission. Jesus planned together with his disciples to find a place where they could get some rest and recreation. The plan was for them to rest. But some even arrived ahead of them in the place where they were heading.

 

There was a big crowd gathered in the place. Jesus had compassion on them so He taught them, perhaps having forgone the plan to rest. Jesus and the disciples must have discerned that there was an immediate need before them and that they could not simply close their eyes and turn their backs from the people who needed them.

 

PRAY: We pray that God make us more compassionate.

 

ACT: After attending the Eucharist today, let us do one compassionate act.