Yesterday, we drove for six and three-quarter hours! As many of you know (and thanks for the good wishes) we have been on vacation. For us, vacation means ocean, sunshine and sea breezes. So as in previous years, we headed for the Delaware beaches and set up our campsite in one of the many state parks enjoying the sands and the miles of cycle tracks.
Now we often go camping, but many of our trips are working ones — books are written and proofread, online courses and meetings are held although we enjoy the change of scenery. But our ocean time in Delaware is all holiday — we relax. Of course, there were a couple or of mornings dealing with essential work emails and the needs of people. But mostly it was a time to recharge the batteries!
In the lectionary reading (Mark 6. 30-34, 53-end), the disciples were urged to do just that. They had been sent out in pairs to go round the villages, to preach, to heal, to anoint with oil and to stay with strangers. At the beginning of today’s text, they were gathered around Jesus to report about all they had “done and taught”. (30) But it was busy, and Jesus suggested they go with him to a “to a quiet place and get some rest” (31).
They sailed away to their place of rest, but the crowds followed. Jesus saw them and had compassion on them. He spent time teaching them many things. The lectionary passage skips the next bit of the story where Jesus’ compassion was not only on their spiritual wellbeing but on their physical wellbeing as he fed the crowd. The reading jumps to the end, where having found no rest they returned on their boat and more people met them bringing sick for help.
Jesus’ ministry was one of self-sacrifice, the disciples followed that example. Their own need for quiet and rest was laid aside, as compassion for the people became the preeminent agenda. It is a recurring theme in the gospels — setting the needs of oneself against the needs of those around.
It is a theme I have mused on before; it even came up a bit at the retreat. If we follow the example of Jesus our lives become lives of self-sacrifice. Modern parlance talks a lot about self-care although that was not a concept in the first century. In today’s story attempts at looking after oneself seem to be thwarted by looking with compassion on the needs of those around.
So, some hypothetical questions that I will continue to ponder this week
So, when does self-care become selfish?
How do I get the balance?
Should I even try and get the balance or follow the example of self-sacrifice pitted in today’s reading?
It was compassion that caused Jesus and friends to set aside their need for quiet. So, a second train of thought.
I can’t feed the more than 5,000 people who follow me up a mountain! (Indeed, I don’t think 5,000 people would follow me up a mountain!)
So how is compassion manifest — I look at our community
Many have chosen careers that show compassion
Many financially support organisations that show compassion to both human and non-human people
Many work as volunteers to help others
In an election year — many will show compassion through their choice of voting.
So, a final thought to muse this week.
How do I show compassion and what’s the cost?
