The Gospel for this weekend reminds us of two important things: the need for rest in the Lord and the boundless compassion of Jesus.
The disciples return from their mission, excited but surely exhausted. Jesus, recognizing their fatigue, invites them to "come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while" (Mk 6:31). This isn't a rejection of their work, but an acknowledgement that even those serving God need time to recharge. We all do. Just like the disciples, we can get caught up in the busyness of life, forgetting to take a moment for ourselves and for God.
Our true rest comes from God alone. Things in the world will try to offer us rest: social media, technology, video games, food, alcohol, etc., but they will only satisfy us for a short time. We need moments, even entire days like the Sabbath, to allow ourselves to be re-created by God, to be made anew and refreshed.
Later in the Gospel, the crowds see Jesus and his disciples leaving, and they follow them. There is no rest for the weary, it seems! Yet, instead of frustration at their persistence, Jesus' response is one of immense compassion: "his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd" (Mk 6:34). He sees their spiritual hunger, their need for guidance, and chooses to meet it.
Perhaps these words hit too close to home. I recognize that the past several years here at the parish have felt like being sheep without a shepherd. As I continue to get settled into my new home here, I pray that, like Christ, I may “begin to teach you many things” (cf. Mk 6:34)
So, let us take this passage to heart. Let us prioritize time for prayer and rest in the Lord, for that's where we find renewal. And let us also see the needs of those around us, with the same compassion that Jesus shows.