Find the time to rest

Today’s brief gospel passage from Mark 3:7-12 tells a lot about the impact of Jesus’ ministry and Jesus need at times to get away from the crowd. It begins by saying that “Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lakeside”. This was presumably some isolated area that Jesus and his disciples thought was far enough away from the towns that they could find some quiet time to be by themselves. But this opening sentence goes on to say “great crowds followed him”. According to Mark, these people came from all over Palestine and even beyond. It points to the extraordinary impact of Jesus’ healing ministry and his teaching. It also indicates that many people in that part of the ancient world were looking for something more than healing and teaching. They were hoping for something beyond the brutal existence many endured, and also the violent repression and powerful domination of the Roman Empire. There is also a sense of desperation. As the text says, Jesus was in need of a boat to get him away from the crush of the crowd. All people wanted to do was touch him. Then, at the end there is a revealing note. Among the crowd there were people possessed by “unclean spirits” and these would cry out “You are the Son of God”. Somehow in the midst of this crush, Jesus was able to engage this mortal combat between the forces of evil and the power of good. As I read this brief passage, I can’t help thinking of so many places around our world today where people are desperately seeking an end to insufferable poverty, the violent control of authoritarian governments and relentless war. But even as we engage in the ongoing effort to stand up for justice and healing and peace, we still need to take a break, to get away and avoid being crushed by the weight of responsibility. Let us make sure we find that time to rest.