A CHALLENGING WAY OF LIFE
Endure your trials as "disciples"; God trusts you as his sons.
From the very
beginning, following Jesus has indeed been a challenging way of life. Mark's
Gospel gives us a glimpse of that today. Jesus is portrayed as being well aware
of how stressful proclaiming the Good News by word and deed can be,
particularly in His own native place and especially in His own house and among
His own kin. Our Lord was amazed at their lack of faith, but it didn't stop Him
from proclaiming the Good News.
Jesus knows that
the challenge for us in our time is that ministry can consume all of our time.
So much so, that we will even put eating on hold. In His wisdom, Jesus makes a
very important point to us. He does not encourage work-a-holism, which drains
us of all energy, resources, and creativity. What He encourages is that we go
to a place of solitude in order to get reconnected with all that is essential
for being effective in doing God's Will and work. In the first reading from
Hebrews confirms this: Endure your trials as "disciples"; God trusts
you as his sons. We must make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame
may not be dislocated but healed.
For those who lead
the way for the love of Christ - which includes us - are called to a ministry
that is a way of life and not an endless series of projects to be accomplished.
We need to remember what we read later in Mark's Gospel, "Come away by
yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while" (Mk 6:31). For He will
teach us many things!