One of the talks on our weekend is about habitual grace. In Mark 6:30-34 Jesus said, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” Jesus had planned a time of rest for himself and for the disciples from the pressures of their apostolate. But He had to change his plans because so many people came, eager to hear Him speak. Not only was He not annoyed with them; He feels compassion. They were like a sheep without a shepherd.
This statement by Jesus shows us the intensity of Jesus’ public ministry. In fact, it was so intense that Mark even comments that the disciples did not even have time to eat. But the apostles were eager to share with Jesus their excitement and passion for all that they had experienced in Jesus’ name: the forgiveness of sins, the healing of the sick, the feeding of the hungry, the sharing of the “good news” of the kingdom with others; all elements that prefigure our call to ministry.
Through baptism we have been called to continue the task of preaching and proclaiming the “good news.” True proclamation of God’s word is not simply paying lip service. Far more important than what we say is who we are. What do I believe? Like the apostles, many more people will be touched by our faith than will be touched by the faith.
It is not enough to speak about God. People are hungry to find God in their everyday lives. And the only way we reveal God in our everyday lives is to allow others to see us and to hear us as we really are. We are to reach out to those who need our weakness as well as our strength: our faith as well as our doubt; our passion as well as our compassion.
We can come to better appreciate the good news if we let our beliefs speak a little more clearly in our day-to-day activities. Teaching is often the best way of learning. There are millions of people starving for spiritual nourishment that only the gospel can provide. Untold numbers are hungry for a word of inspiration that God loves them passionately, that their sins are forgiven, that faith works miracles and the “yoke” of Jesus is easy to bear. Why would we ever be hesitant in sharing this message with our children, with family members, with people at work and even with strangers who need help? We are commanded to, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel.”
But Jesus tells his followers that they need to take care of themselves as well, both physically and mentally. Jesus makes his disciples rest to show that people cannot work or preach without breaks. Jesus gave us an example of the kind of attitude a Christian should have in order to find a balance in our lives and that is, “habitual intimacy with God.” That is a habit of addressing God in the midst of our busy lives in our everyday activities: our work, studies, play, personal relationships, apostolate and our prayers.
We need to go off by ourselves to rest, to pray and to just “be” with God. Perhaps we need to spread a blanket under a tree, look through the branches into the sky and get a sense of the peace and beauty of God’s creation. And as we look at the clouds and we gaze at the endless blue sky, we get in touch with our true feelings and the world around us. Nature is like a mother holding us in her arms. That is when we become aware of being a part of it all. That is where we find God. It is a time of prayer and a time of silence. It is a communion with the mystery of the universe – “of touching the holy!”
Fr. Al Backmann
