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SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—July 22, 2018 – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—July 22, 2018 – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Mark 6:30–34

“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” –Mark 6:31

Jesus did it all the time, according to the Gospels. He followed a full day of labor for the sake of the Kingdom with getaway time in the wilderness, up a mountain, on the water, or at the home of friends. Jesus didn’t work himself to death. Extinction came to him by other means. Jesus chose a life of balance: community and solitude, fasting and feasting, prayer and preaching, offering himself to the crowds and also napping in the bottom of his friend’s boat.

When the disciples went out for a full day of preaching, healing, and exorcising demons, Jesus invited them to enjoy the same comforting rest afterwards. But just as Jesus wasn’t militant about ministry, he wasn’t a stickler for quitting time either. Despite his efforts to seek sabbath rest, the need of the crowd outweighed personal weariness. Compassion never takes a break.

When did you receive something extra from another person, for compassion’s sake?

LET US PRAY…

Lord, you give us the gift of time that unfolds with its many lessons to learn and opportunities for love and compassion. Still, we seek the familiar way of self-will and waste our hours in pursuits of no lasting value. Open our eyes to the purpose of each hour so that we may serve your will in all things. Amen.

While The Gospel at Home takes a break in the summer months, we’ll be drawing our weekly reflections from Exploring the Sunday Readings.

 

Image credit: Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

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