Riding a bus or a jeepney or even listening to a taxi driver always an opportunity for me to encounter people from variety walk of lives. These public transportations are places to feel, and perhaps to understand better what does it mean to labor for a daily bread. Most of the time, if not always, the encounter in places such these happen in silence.

I still vividly remember; a mother was leaning on my shoulder in the jeepney. I let her sleeping on my shoulder until I got off the jeepney. This mother carried many things (vegetables, banana). Maybe she was on her way home from the market. Maybe she was tired. She was not pretending to be strong. She just tired and that’s why she fell asleep in the Jeepney. This mother for sure works for her family, her children to have daily bread for her family.

This mother who slept in the jeepney reminds me of many faces whom I met striving for daily minimum wages. I hope when they return home, they find peace in the midst of struggles, challenges, fear and trying to survive with the minimum wages. The family at home, indeed must be a place of peace, strength to begin and end our daily routine which sometimes is so tiring and unbearable.

Today’s gospel present to us the story of the disciples who return from their ministry. Perhaps they were tired. But, since they were doing good things, collaborating with Jesus in making known God’s Kingdom, they experienced so much joy knowing that they fulfilled the mission, the work that entrusted to them by the Master. These disciples returned to Jesus with many stories: the story of victories and failures, joys and sorrows, satisfaction and dissatisfaction, hope and hopelessness. And Jesus listens to each his disciples, each story with joyful heart knowing that his disciples had done the mission from the Father. Jesus, indeed offers a home for his disciples.

After listening to his disciples, Jesus invites them to take a rest. “Come away by yourselves to a deserted places and rest a while.” Jesus knows the needs of his disciples. The disciples need a rest to regain their strength physically and spiritually. This time of resting is a necessary for the disciples not only for resting per se but above all to center their lives and mission in God. Whatever the stories they have; whether a big achievement or even failures, joys or sorrows, these are God’s stories.

It is in the deserted place, the disciples come to understand deeply that their mission is always finds its source in God’s loving mercy and they are called to extend it to whom they are sent. It is in the deserted place with Jesus, in the deepest part of their heart the disciples learnt that Jesus loves each one of them without limit. It is in the hidden place Jesus and his disciples “cultivates’ a merciful, a compassionate heart like the Father. And here in this quite place they humbly acknowledge that what they have done and will do, are all for the greater glory of God.

The well-spent time in the deserted place enable them to continue the mission, encountering and serving people with the same passion, God’s passion for humanity. This mission that comes from God never stops us to put it into action. When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them for they were like sheep without shepherd.” The heart of Jesus always available for humanity. May we too become like him whose love is endured and forever, ready to serve wherever we are sent in mission.

This song beautifully expresses our desire to have the same heart of Jesus:

Where there is fear I can allay
Where there is pain I can heal
Where there are wounds I can bind
And hunger I can fill

When comes the day I dread
To see our broken world
Compel me from my cell grown cold
That Your people I may behold

Lord, grant me courage
Lord, grant me strength grant me compassion
That I may be Your heart today