This coming Sunday is the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time. Jesus invited them to a deserted/wilderness place to anapausasthe (rest, remain quiet, cease). It is noteworthy that Mark twice notes that the place of rest is in the wilderness, apart from the crowds of people. The word eremos most literally refers to an uninhabited place in contrast to polis = “a populated place,” “city,” “town.” While sparseness of people and vegetation often go together in the Middle East, e.g., a desert region; this word centers more on the lack of population than the lack of vegetation. Note that in v.39 the crowd sits down on the green grass.

Jesus was conscious of the efforts that the apostle’s mission entailed and knew that it was important to recover their strength. In fact, as the event following the Sabbath in Capernaum shows (Mk 1:35), Jesus also sometimes went to a deserted place to rest and to recover His strength through His deep prayer to God the Father.

As we know from our own experience, it is impossible to experience deep refreshment if we exclude God from our rest and recreation. Although the term anapausasthe does not necessarily imply prayer or contemplation, Jesus’ own experience (especially in Luke) points to “withdrawal” and “rest” as exactly those times when Jesus is renewed by prayer and contemplation – renewed for the missionary endeavor.

Pope Francis, in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel, #264), summons us to live a contemplative spirit: “The best incentive for sharing the Gospel comes from contemplating it with love, lingering over its pages and reading it with the heart. If we approach it in this way, its beauty will amaze and constantly excite us. But if this is to come about, we need to recover a contemplative spirit which can help us to realize ever anew that we have been entrusted with a treasure which makes us more human and helps us to lead a new life. There is nothing more precious which we can give to others.” Pope Francis nicely connects the rest/contemplation as the needed component to the missionary life in which we pass on what we have received to another.

That being noted, although the apostles need time alone with Jesus, he responds first to the greater need of the crowd that has found his place of refuge.

Christ preaching to the Apostles, Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1381| Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Siena | Public Domain US