Come Away By Yourselves and Rest a While

The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” (Mark 6:30-31 NABRE)

One of the pleasures of old age is having more time to watch reruns of TV shows from the past. High on the list for a lot of us who grew up in the sixties are the westerns. More often than not, a trip into hostile and unfamiliar territory would be part of the storyline.

In Gunsmoke, a character named Festus would often be called upon to lead the way. He knew the “lay of the land” and how to guide all involved safely. Knowing where it was safe to stop for the night was a key component for travelers (and their horses) to rest and get ready for the next leg of the journey. Unfortunately, occasionally in the series, someone would strike out on their own, disregarding the sure direction of the seasoned guide. When they did, it rarely ended well.

I Will Give You Rest

Physical rest was as essential then as it is now, and spiritual rest is even more critical. The chorus of “Be Not Afraid,” a popular Christian song, describes how Jesus leads us from fear to rest in the Spirit:

Be not afraid

I go before you always

Come, follow me, and I will give you rest

It has been said that “fear not,” in various forms, occurs 365 times in the Bible. While we cannot determine the exact number, there is general agreement that the command not to be afraid appears at least three hundred times. We can find one such occurrence in the following pericope from the Gospel According to Matthew:

And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:25-27)

A paraphrase of the above could read as follows: “I know that you are terrified, and it appears that I’m a ghost, but take heart! It is really I who appears before you to guide you through this situation. So fear not, I am with you.”

According to Jesuit Father Bob Dufford, the composer of “Be Not Afraid,” the second line, “I go before you always,” was inspired by the end of Matthew’s Gospel:

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Open the Door

Every baptized Christian can be assured that God is indeed with us always, and only Mortal Sin can separate us from being in a state of grace. Repentance, confession, and absolution will ensure that we will hear God’s voice, open (and reopen) the door to our hearts. Venial sin, in the aggregate, can lead to mortal sin and should be avoided to protect the integrity of our relationship with God. It does not, however, sever us from God’s friendship and grace. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains:

Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul’s progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However, venial sin does not break the covenant with God. With God’s grace it is humanly reparable. “Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness.” (CCC 1863)

“Be earnest, therefore, and repent. Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. (Revelation 3:19-20 NRSVCE)

Conclusion

In our journey as Christians, we have a sure guide in the person of the Holy Spirit. We have the assurance that, no matter what, God will be with us and go before us to show us the way. So let us pray for the grace to repent of our sins and be ready to open the door to God’s amazing grace.