Scripture:
Matthew 14:23 After sending the people away, he went up a hill by himself to pray. When evening came, Jesus was there alone.
Mark 6:31 There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his disciples didn’t even have time to eat. So he said to them “Let us go off by ourselves to some place where we will be alone and you can rest for awhile.”
Mark 14:3b-9 While Jesus was sitting there, a woman went to him. She had a bottle of very expensive perfume made from pure nard. She opened the bottle and poured the perfume on his head.
4 Some who were there were irritated and said to one another, “Why was the perfume wasted like this? 5 This perfume could have been sold for a high price, and the money could have been given to the poor.” So they said some very unkind things to her.
6 Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me. 7 You will always have the poor with you and can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have me with you. 8 She did what she could. She came to pour perfume on my body before it is placed in a tomb. 9 I can guarantee this truth: Wherever the Good News is spoken in the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
From Karen Richardson
None of the lectionary passages appealed to me this week so this contemplation and conversation is more thematic than scriptural per se. My thoughts have been on ministering to and ministering by lately. The scripture above showed how Jesus was aware that he needed time away to refresh and renew himself. In the second scripture he is recognizing that his disciples need to take care of themselves and in the third he is being ministered to in spite of the anger of those around him. In the last little while I have been helping others who have often said how hard it is to need help and receive it. I was quick to let them know it was no big deal what I was doing and I was more than happy to help out even thought I also acknowledged to them that I realized how hard it must be. In July the tables were turned when it was I who needed to ask for help. In both situations I was given the help without question but was very aware that I felt exactly as those I had helped – it was hard to ask for and accept the kindness of others. It seems to me that Jesus was very much better at arriving at that fine line between being helpful, having time to himself to refresh his energy and renew his spiritual health and accepting the gifts of others. It is easy to think that it must have been hard for Jesus with the demands on his time for preaching and healing, to walk away and take time for himself to pray in silence and yet there are numerous verses in the gospels that say this very thing. But what could be more reflective of Jesus’ true humanity than his need to replenish his body, mind and spirit. In knowing what he needed for himself he was compassionate towards his disciples who also needed time to recharge their physical and spiritual lives. He also was willing to accept that compassion from others who felt called to minister to him. Whether going to school, working or in retirement we all need food and water and time for rest and reflection. As people of faith besides the need to recharge our physical bodies, we need to nourish our spiritual life and our relationship with the God of our understanding. How do we find balance in our lives, between work and play, action and reflection, words and silence, opportunities for ministry and opportunities to be ministered to.
Contemplation and Conversation
Where do you go to replenish your body, mind and spirit? How do you make time to do so?
How do you feel when it is you who needs to be ministered to?
Prayer
Creator God, we give thanks for all the activities which make our lives so special.
Remind us to take time to slow our pace, to step back from routine
and take a fresh look at our physical, mental and spiritual lives.
Help us to help those around us as we are able
and to accept with grace the help from others when we are in need. Amen
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