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The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had
done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a
deserted place and rest a while.” Mark 6:30–31
When a person does something profound and meaningful for the first
time, it’s a memorable moment. When a child walks for the first
time, parents are elated. When we graduate from high school or
college, a natural sense of pride wells up. Weddings, the birth of
a baby, an ordination, and many other important events mark the
beginning of something new and fulfilling.
Around the midpoint of Jesus’ public ministry, some of Jesus’
closest disciples experienced one of those consequential moments.
Jesus commissioned the Twelve to go forth, two by two, to preach
repentance in many towns and villages (cf. Mark 6:7–13). He gave
them authority over unclean spirits, enabling them to cast out
demons and heal the sick. While they had been firsthand witnesses
to Jesus’ ministry and His mighty deeds, this mission marked the
first time they acted independently in His name, exercising His
divine authority. It must have been an awe-inspiring experience,
deepening their faith and understanding of their role in His
mission.
Today’s Gospel recounts their return from their ministry. We can
imagine that each of them wanted to tell stories about all that
they did and how the power of God worked in and through them. For
that reason, Jesus invited them to “Come away by yourselves to a
deserted place and rest a while.” That invitation was likely
enthusiastically received, given the emotional and spiritual energy
they had exuded and their desire to process their experiences
together.
Though the invitation was sincere, Jesus’ formation of the Twelve
was not complete. What happened next helped the Twelve to better
understand the deeper meaning of the ministry they had just
undertaken. Though the Twelve were excited to be with Jesus and the
others once again, so was the crowd. Despite the Apostles’
exhaustion, the people pressed in upon them, making it difficult
for them even to eat. When Jesus took them by boat to another town,
the people hurried to the place by foot and waited patiently for
Jesus and the Twelve.
When the Twelve saw the crowd, they understandably might have been
somewhat agitated. They had hoped for some time of rest, yet the
people were starving for the spiritual nourishment that only Jesus
and His disciples could give. Instead of agitation, “When Jesus
disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity
for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began
to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34).
Though the Twelve had a transforming experience preaching, healing,
and casting out demons, Jesus’ compassion for the crowds became
their next crucial lesson. Their mission was not for their own sake
or to marvel at the divine authority with which they ministered. It
was about God’s people, who were “like sheep without a shepherd.”
Jesus wanted the Twelve to grasp the urgency of the mission they
were entrusted with and the zeal required to fulfill it.
Though we are not among the Twelve, each of us is entrusted with a
mission. We must embrace it with the same zeal that Jesus showed in
His ministry. While it is natural to feel tired and seek rest,
supernatural zeal calls us to press on, to serve sacrificially, and
to imitate Jesus’ selfless compassion. Our mission must always
reflect the heart of Christ, fostering in us the same compassion
and love He modeled for all.
Reflect today on the excitement the Twelve must have felt as they
witnessed the crowd’s hunger and thirst for spiritual nourishment.
Consider your own mission of loving service—whether to your
friends, family, community, or church. Are there moments when the
demands on your time feel overwhelming, testing your patience and
charity? In those times, strive to cultivate the compassion Jesus
modeled for the Twelve, allowing His example to inspire you to
respond with love, patience, and selfless care for others.
My zealous Lord, You were tireless in Your preaching and
unwavering in Your charity. The hunger and thirst of the crowd
moved Your divine Heart with mercy and compelled You to shepherd
Your people. Transform my heart to mirror Yours, filling me with
supernatural zeal, so that I may never tire of serving those
entrusted to my care. Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: Андрей Николаевич Миронов (A.N. Mironov), CC BY-SA 4.0,
via Wikimedia Commons
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