Friday, November 7

Mark 6 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.”

Reflection:

After a season of activity, a period of rest seems appropriate. That’s what the disciples were looking for, isn’t it? Just a break, a chance to recoup. Sometimes, rest comes. Other times, the disciples get answers like this one from Jesus, “You give them something to eat.” Desmond Tutu once said, about hunger, “When people were hungry, Jesus didn’t say, “Now is that political, or social?” He said, “I feed you.” Because the good news to a hungry person is bread.”

Questions for reflection:

Is there at time in your life when someone shared bread with you when you were hungry? How did that bread become good news to you? When have you shared good news with another by sharing bread? Is God calling you to sharing bread today?