ATTEMPT TO REST
Jesus told his disciples that he was the Good Shepherd… In fact, the busier we are, the greater the urgency of turning to Jesus.
The apostles
returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught their
"to do list." Jesus gave them a list of things to do from last week's
Gospel. Then Jesus said to them, "Come
away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while." Many were
coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. They went away in the
boat to a lonely place by themselves. Many saw them going, and knew them, and
they ran there on foot from all the towns, and got there ahead of them. As
Jesus went ashore he saw a great number, and he had compassion on them, because
they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things
about God and his kingdom.
What does the image
of a shepherd tell us about God's care for us? Shepherding was one of the
oldest of callings in Israel, even before farming, since the Chosen People had
traveled from place to place, living in tents, and driving their flocks from
one pasture to another. Looking after sheep was no easy calling. It required
great skill and courage. Herds were often quite large, thousands or even ten
thousands of sheep. The flocks spent a good part of the year in the open
country. Watching over them required a great deal of attention and care. Sheep
who strayed from the flock had to be sought out and brought back by the
shepherd. Since hyenas, jackals, wolves, and even bears were common and fed on
the sheep, the shepherds often had to do battle with these wild and dangerous
beasts. A shepherd literally had to put his life on the line in defending his
sheep. Shepherds took turns watching the sheep at night to ward off any
attackers. The sheep and their shepherds continually lived together. Their life
was so intimately bound together that individual sheep, even when mixed with
other flocks, could recognize the voice of their own shepherd and would come
immediately when called by name.
The Old Testament
speaks of God as shepherd of his people Israel: "The Lord is my Shepherd,
I shall not want (Ps 23)." We also hear this in others Psalm: "Give
ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock (Ps 80)!" "We
are his people, and the sheep of his pasture (Ps 100)." Jesus is also
pictured as the shepherd of God's people. "He will feed his flock like a
shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms (Is 40)." Jesus told his
disciples that he was the Good Shepherd who was willing to lay down his life
for his sheep (Matt 18; Jn 10; Lk15). When he saw the multitude of people in
need of protection and care, he was moved to respond with compassionate
concern. His love was a personal love for each and every person who came to him
in need. Peter called Jesus the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls (Peter 1).
Do we truly know the peace and security of a life freely submitted to Jesus,
the Good Shepherd?
Jesus said in
Mark's gospel "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a
while." We all have "To do lists." Our lifestyle in the
twenty-first century is certainly more hurried and harried than that of the
apostles in the first-century. All the more important for us to heed Jesus'
words, "Come away. Rest a while." Impossible, we think. Spouses and
children, busy working and busy volunteering.
We must take the
time to be with Jesus our Shepherd, time in prayer, no matter how busy life is.
In fact, the busier we are, the greater the urgency of turning to Jesus. When
we "rest a while" with Jesus, idleness becomes God's workshop; and we
become God's tools to live in and love the world. We rest in prayer with Jesus;
it has a way of improving our vision. We see ourselves through Jesus' eyes. We
see the world through Jesus' eyes. Our "to do list" is about Jesus'
mission, rather than our own. We will see everything and everyone with
compassion and love that can only come from God.
In the person of
the Christ Jesus we see the unceasing vigilance and patience of God's love. In
our ups and downs of life, Jesus the Good Shepherd is ever ready to give us
help, strength, and refuge.
Attempt to rest in
Him!