Mid-summer is the right time to read today’s portion of Mark, as it describes the moment Jesus affirmed the value of rest. As Jesus took his teaching and healing from village to village, he sensed that the moment was right for his disciples to begin to contribute to his ministry. Then, “calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two” (6:5) and “they drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them” (6:13). Considering the fact that they had also just taken the time to bury John the Baptist, you can imagine the degree of stress that began to accumulate. There even came a point when “so many people were coming and going, that they did not even have a chance to eat.” That’s exactly how I feel at the end of every school year; so this summer, I found it ironic and validating to read Jesus’ words, just as I return from my own vacation, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ And this is what they did – “they went away in a boat”.

We have all experienced extreme workload, family obligations, and caregiving that created such a desperate need for rest. Tough as it is, I think that burnout helps us remember that we are imperfect, limited, and dependent on God and each other. This reading affirms that taking time to recharge is not equivalent to laziness, and Jesus models compassionate leadership in being attentive to this need in his followers. Yes, rest is absolutely vital, it should be guilt free, and we should encourage others to pay attention to their workload. Nonetheless, sometimes it does seem a privilege to be able to step away from it all, while so many around the world simply do not have the option to put work on hold. As someone who struggles with giving myself permission “not to be productive”, I would say that the kind of rest that Jesus affirms is probably not what we envision when imagining extravagant vacations or sitting on the couch. 

Two key phrases in this passage hint at what it might entail instead: “with me” and “quiet (deserted) place”. So it’s much less about the entertainment, food, accommodation, activities, destinations, or even the time off work per se – the “what” – but more about how we might reconnect with God, others, and self – the “with”. But I noticed that not every translation of Mark includes the words “with me”; some say “come by yourselves”. This doesn’t match the rest of the chapter, as Jesus comes ashore from the boat, obviously having traveled in it with the disciples; this discrepancy is what caught my eye and made me double check the “with me” part. Most importantly, however, I think this indicates that the point of going away to achieve this kind of rest is, specifically, to be with God and with people significant to us – family, friends, mentors, colleagues. 

As for the “quiet place,” that, to me, is actually less specific. Many people find that the combination of going out into nature and “roughing it” provides the necessary space to recharge, and to find peace and quiet. In the gospels, Jesus, too, heads for the mountains as opposed to a staycation. But I don’t think that everyone must find the strength and opportunity to go camping. While nature can be spiritually refreshing, sometimes we go a little too far in letting it become like deity in itself, as opposed to merely allowing its vastness and beauty to inspire the awe of our Creator. So if you can’t easily venture out into the woods, you might still find the kind of rest Jesus is talking about in a few minutes of meditation, a quiet day off at home without doing the laundry, some time to forest-bathe, stargaze, garden, create art, exercise, cook, or even declutter and rearrange furniture. I think the idea is to, “come to me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest” – “where” this is found is less important, as long as it’s “with”. 

As for Jesus and the disciples, they never actually got to camp in the deserted place! All they got was just their quiet time in the boat – together. I believe the symbol of a boat is significant and stands for togetherness, comfort level, mutual understanding, shared purpose, and safety. It’s not coincidental that the church space is called a “nave”, in which we’re sailing together on our shared journey with/in Christ. But of course, soon enough, it’s back to work! Teaching the people who ran around the lake to meet them where they disembarked (cf Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount and in Luke’s one on the Plains), feeding 5000, walking on water, healing some more. But I bet that even as Jesus plunged right into business as usual, he did not feel like he needed “a vacation from a vacation”, as we sometimes do even when all our plans seemingly fall into place. Maybe that’s because we make too many plans! It’s not a bad thing; only that what we think would give us a break from the mundane is not the kind of rest that we truly require – the one that gives space to reconnect with who and what truly matters. Thanks be to God for the opportunities we get to rest in him in this life, and for the eternal rest we will have in his unceasing presence in the life to come. Amen. 

Reflection

Where is your quiet place this summer, who is there with you, and how are you able to find spiritual rest through being “with” more so than “where”?