An integral aspect of faithful discipleship is the appropriate distribution of time. This Sunday in the Ordinary Time brings us back to this important dimension of life: the time of rest. The invitation of Jesus to the disciples after their first missionary journey is a demanding solicitation for all who follow Him... “rest a while.”

Rest is part of the plan of God from the very beginning. God himself designed this pattern for us, to work and to rest. On the seventh day, He rested and sanctified that day. With the sanctification of the day of rest, He opens for all the indispensable scope of relation: to God and others. Our faith tells us that God, with his work, created all things. It’s also true that with his rest, He recreated all things while contemplating His own work. From this experience of God also comes the commandment: “Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy.” (Ex20:8) This was the day of His rest after creation. In keeping it holy, man is glorifying God for His work knowing that “whoever enters into God’s rest, rests from his own works as God did from his. Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest.” (Heb 4:10-11)

The gospel gives us the same image about rest. The disciples, as they continue the mission of Jesus, work in the same path of God. Now, Jesus himself desires to restore and recreate them by resting a while in a deserted place. The disciples need to rest to fulfill the ongoing mission. This is the cycle of the Christian life: a continuous going into the presence of God from the presence of men and coming out into the presence of men from the presence of God.

Rest is not an escape. For many reasons, we need to take a break sometimes. Often, when we experience conditions such as stress and tiredness, our first impulse is not to go with the Lord to a deserted place to rest with Him, but rather to go away from Him. After so many centuries, the word of St. Augustine still holds true: “Whichever way the soul of man turns, if it be not towards thee, it encounters pain.”

The escape can also happen even in our prayer. It may well be that the whole trouble in our lives is that we give God no opportunity to speak to us, because we do not know how to be still and to listen. We give God no time to recharge us with spiritual strength. How can we do God`s work unless in God`s strength? As a shepherd with personal care, He tries in all ways to bring each one of us, disciples, as the Psalm tells us... “In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul.” This is His deepest desire. “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock...”

Jesus called the disciples to rest, but he was not able to do so. “When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd...” The fact that the people in front of Him were like sheep without a shepherd moves His heart. Without a shepherd, the sheep cannot find the way. It can stand at some crossroads and not know what way to take. It is only when Jesus leads, and we follow that we can find the way. Second, without a shepherd, we cannot find pasture elsewhere because our minds are still dissatisfied and our hearts restless. Furthermore, the sheep are without any protection against the dangers lurking around them. Without Him, we are defenseless, with Him we are safe. With Him: “Only goodness and kindness follow us all the days of our lives...”