The Gospel narrative this weekend according to the tradition of Mark presents us Jesus the Good Shepherd inviting His disciples to come away by themselves to a deserted place, and rest a while. They were so busy ministering to so many people that they did not even have the time to eat. The body needs rest. So does the soul.

We are often under pressure to do, to act, to perform, to achieve, to function, and to be productive. Many of us live busy lives. Many of us live fast and loud lives. If we do not slow down, quiet down and rest, sooner or later, we will break down, burn out and fall sick.

As we assume various roles in life, to be a good shepherd also means taking time out, taking a break. We need to rest and to re-energize just like what Jesus intended to do with His disciples.

We need to discover how to enjoy life. It is precious. We must learn to stay on top of things in spite of our problems. Far from leaving us defeated, our daily interactions and occupations should make us richer, better, and happier. The Lord invites us today to discover our “deserted place” where we can find total rest for our body, mind and spirit.

I just came from a fruitful and fun-filled camping trip with a number of families from our parish last week – spending time with the young ones and young once (their parents) who are busy with work, with life, with everything, yet managed to take time, take off for a while, and set aside time for their spiritual nourishment and personal development. And after that, they were back to their responsibilities that they for sure do best.

The key is balance. We aim to somehow enjoy the fruits of our labor: to work and to rest; to be with the crowd and to be with our self. We need to get sufficient rest so that we may remain effective in our mission of proclaiming the reign of Jesus in our lives.

We pray for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit so that we are able to sense a balance in our lives especially when we tend to over work, sometimes forgetting to rest and take care of ourselves. Let us remember that we are just participants in the mission of Jesus: we are not the designer, we are not the builder.

Let God be God. Let Jesus take the wheel. Let Him lead the way. Take time to rest and enjoy His company in the desert.

Sono semipro grate,
Father Erick

(For the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time)