A Message from Fr. Jay
Dear Friends,
In continuation of last week’s gospel, Jesus sending his disciples two by two, this week Jesus holds a reporting session with them. On hearing the jubilant reports on their works, He tells the disciples “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while”.
Let us focus on what could be our ‘deserted place’. We all like a place of our own; a place where we love to spend our day off and rejuvenate after a hard day at work. For some, that deserted place could be a bar with good ambience; company of friends, tv, internet or social media; or it could be a place simply spending time with children and family!
Have we ever considered that we all have a place to reflect? Our Adoration Chapel may look mostly deserted or have a few people attending but it is a place where Jesus leads us to calm ourselves and rest for a while. When I was in the seminary, we had the ‘Examination of Conscience’ every night (based on Ignatian spirituality) during the night prayer, which I still do in a shorter form every day.
Michael Faraday is an English Scientist who was the pioneer in the electromagnetic current. He had to address a convocation of scientists in London on the nature of magnets, where the Prince of Wales and later King Edward VII, was also attending. Soon after his spellbound deliverance of his lecture, everyone applauded, giving him a standing ovation. But Michael paid no attention to this as he immediately rushed out of the hall despite the presence of the Prince of Wales. The reason for him leaving so abruptly was that he was on his way to a little church where he was a member to attend the midweek prayer service! That was his deserted place rather than to be amongst the most powerful men of society!
A good Shepherd is the one who spends his time with God and his sheep. We are all called, not simply to be the leader of the family or community but to be the shepherds of our families or community. Let us seek our deserted place. That place can be in the Blessed Sacrament. Let us bring that Eucharistic revival into our family!
God Bless,
Fr. Jay Raju
- Reading 1: Jeremiah 23:1-6
- Reading 11: Ephesians 2:13-18
- Gospel: Mark 6:30-34
