Last week’s gospel is primarily remembered for our Lord and St. Peter walking on water (Matthew 14:22-33). But at the beginning of that episode, Jesus had gone up on the mountain to pray after feeding the 5,000 and curing the sick. Humanly speaking, he needed some time to rest and recharge his energy. Last week, I did the same by going on retreat in Larchmont, New York. Prayer, good talks and spiritual direction, some nice walks, and some time for reflection were wonderful. Even after a maddeningly long, slow drive down the New Jersey Turnpike on Friday, I felt renewed.
Later on this past weekend, in talking to a family who had just returned from a vacation trip, I was told by the father that he felt like he needed some time to rest up from his vacation. I suspect many of you have shared that feeling. It’s go, go, go on our fun-filled vacations, but we are exhausted afterwards. Maybe it would be good to add on an extra day at the end to do what I did last week and Jesus did the week before—spend some time in prayer. You don’t have to go to Larchmont or go up a mountain to be with God. You can do it at home. Go to a weekday Mass; crack open the bible; spend some quiet time in church, and I’m sure you will come away refreshed. After all, if it’s good enough for Jesus, it should be good enough for you and me.
- Fr. Carl
“God made all the days of the week. He
might have kept them all, but he has given you six
and has reserved to himself only the seventh.”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars
