Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – 21st July 2024
As we know from the gospels, there were always demands being made on Jesus and on his time. Many who were sick waited and queued so that he could lay his hands on them. He spoke to the crowds whenever and wherever he could; he spoke and taught in the synagogue and the Great Temple, he spoke to the people by the sea shore and from the hills. He sought out the poor and the sick so that he could be with them and to eat with them. This, as we can imagine was not easy for Jesus. On one occasion when the poor sick woman touched just the hem of his clothes, he was immediately aware that power had gone out from him. There were many other times when the crowds dismissed, rejected and ignored him. This too must have affected Jesus; these experiences as well took away his energy and drained him.
There were times in his daily life and ministry that Jesus simple needed to get away from the crowds and all their demands. These were the times when he went off himself so that he could be silent, rest and pray. In the Gospel of Mark, we are told that early in the morning, long before dawn, Jesus got up, went to a quiet place where he prayed. Jesus loved being with people, especially those who were in need. This is why he was sent by God. In the Gospel of Luke he said to the people, ‘I have been sent to bring the Good News to the poor.’ However, he could only share with people what he had within himself. When he took time by himself, he rested and prayed to God for strength to continue his mission and ministry. This is what he shared with those he met, especially the poor, the sick and those everyone else despised and rejected.