From: Mark 6:30-34

The Apostles Return

[30] The Apostles returned to Jesus, and told Him all that they had done and
taught. [31] And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place,
and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure
even to eat. [32] And they went away in the boat to a lonely place by them-
selves.

First Miracles of the Loaves

[33] Now many saw them going, and knew them, and they ran there on foot
from the towns, and got there ahead of them. [34] As He landed He saw a great
throng, and He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without
a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.

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Commentary:

30-31. We can see here the intensity of Jesus’ public ministry. Such was His
dedication to souls that St. Mark twice mentions that the disciples did not even
have time to eat (cf. Mark 3:20). A Christian should be ready to sacrifice his
time and even his rest in the service of the Gospel. This attitude of availability
will lead us to change our plans whenever the good of souls so requires.

But Jesus also teaches us here to have common sense and not to go to such
extremes that we physically cannot cope: “The Lord makes His disciples rest,
to show those in charge that people who work or preach cannot do so without
breaks” (St. Bede, “In Marci Evangelium Expositio, in loc.”). “He who pledges
himself to work for Christ should never have a free moment, because to rest is
not to do nothing: it is to relax in activities which demand less effort” (St. J.
Escriva, “The Way”, 357).

34. Our Lord had planned a period of rest, for Himself and His disciples, from the
pressures of the apostolate (Mark 6:31-32). And He has to change His plans be-
cause so many people come, eager to hear Him speak. Not only is He not an-
noyed with them: He feels compassion on seeing their spiritual need. “My peo-
ple are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). They need instruction and
our Lord wants to meet this need by preaching to them. “Jesus is moved by hun-
ger and sorrow, but what moves Him most is ignorance” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ
Is Passing By”, 109).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Readings at Mass

First reading

1 Kings 3:4-13 ©

King Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, since that was the greatest of the high places – Solomon offered a thousand holocausts on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared in a dream to Solomon during the night. God said, ‘Ask what you would like me to give you.’ Solomon replied, ‘You showed great kindness to your servant David, my father, when he lived his life before you in faithfulness and justice and integrity of heart; you have continued this great kindness to him by allowing a son of his to sit on his throne today. Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in succession to David my father. But I am a very young man, unskilled in leadership. Your servant finds himself in the midst of this people of yours that you have chosen, a people so many its number cannot be counted or reckoned. Give your servant a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil, for who could govern this people of yours that is so great?’ It pleased the Lord that Solomon should have asked for this. ‘Since you have asked for this’ the Lord said ‘and not asked for long life for yourself or riches or the lives of your enemies, but have asked for a discerning judgement for yourself, here and now I do what you ask. I give you a heart wise and shrewd as none before you has had and none will have after you. What you have not asked I shall give you too: such riches and glory as no other king ever had.’

Psalm

Psalm 118:9-14 ©

Lord, teach me your statutes.

How shall the young remain sinless?

By obeying your word.

I have sought you with all my heart;

let me not stray from your commands.

Lord, teach me your statutes.

I treasure your promise in my heart

lest I sin against you.

Blessed are you, O Lord;

teach me your statutes.

Lord, teach me your statutes.

With my tongue I have recounted

the decrees of your lips.

I rejoiced to do your will

as though all riches were mine.

Lord, teach me your statutes.

Gospel Acclamation

Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,

says the Lord,

I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

Gospel

The apostles rejoined Jesus and told him all they had done and taught. Then he said to them, ‘You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while’; for there were so many coming and going that the apostles had no time even to eat. So they went off in a boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But people saw them going, and many could guess where; and from every town they all hurried to the place on foot and reached it before them. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length.