· Jeremiah 23:1-6
· Psalm 23 (1)
· Ephesians 2:11-22
· Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
There is something interesting about this passage in Mark, or more accurately these two passages that the lectionary committee chose to juxtapose. Much more interesting than the fancy miracle stories, if you ask me.
Here's the thing: Jesus got tired. Both he and the disciples would get tired of looking after the sheep. They kept trying to get away so they could have a rest, and the crowds kept following them. They didn't get a chance to eat or sleep. One time when they were in Capernaum, and people couldn't even get in the door because of the crowd, they climbed up on the roof, hauled up a paralytic on a stretcher, and lowered him back into the house. People clung to Jesus's garments. They followed him along the road yelling "Son of David, have mercy on me!" They sent people to drag him to this house and that house to cure so and so. Everywhere Jesus go, people follow him. Not because they care about him, but because they want something from him.
You have to realise that this will happen if you are a Christian. If you're doing what Christ told you to do, if you're being Christ-like, then people will follow you around giving you no peace because they want you to do things for them. And unlike Christ, you can't do miracles. But you have to take care of them. That's what Jesus told us to do and showed us through his life.
As a Christian, when someone asks for help, you should be willing to help. Even if they don't ask you directly. Maybe they ask generally, "can somebody do X or Y?" Maybe they didn't ask anybody, but you can see that they need it. Suppose you see a person in a wheelchair who is struggling to get through a door. This person needs help. You're a Christian. Go help.
Suppose you see someone who has fallen. This person needs help. You're a Christian. Go help.
Someone needs first aid? You go help.
Someone needs food? You go help.
Someone needs respite from their special needs child? You go help.
You're a Christian. That's really what being a Christian means. Someone needs help, you go help. Not because you want to or it's no trouble at all or you're a decent person. You go help because you are Christ's own and Christ says for you to help. And for once I'm not gonna go through all the proof-texting and show you where Christ said to care for others. You know just as well as I do that's what Jesus said. You can worry over whether to ostracise gays or what magic formula gets God to do everything you want or everything Paul said, but that's not important. Jesus said, help people. So go help people.
Now of course you have excuses. Lots of reasons why you can't possibly go help whoever. You have an injury and can't help the person in the wheelchair. You need your money more than the homeless alcoholic does. Your time is important. It's not your kids and it's not your fault they have special needs. You pay your taxes, the government can take care of it with your money.
Ok, you're thinking "well I don't use that excuse, I'm a Christian, I help others."
But you have other excuses. Some perfectly reasonable theory that explains why you don't have to do anything about it, but you could pray about it and Jesus will fix it. Or Saint Anthony. Oh wait, that's papist superstition.
You know why Saint Anthony is a saint?
Neither do I, but I bet you it's got something to do with... he helped a bunch of people. Either that or he was martyred. Or maybe he showed leadership or erudition. But you haven't been martyred, and you've probably not achieved any spectacular feats of leadership or erudition. And yet you're supposed to be a saint too, so for you, it leaves helping a bunch of people.
Going back to our Gospel reading, I want to get to the main excuse you probably have, which is that you think you're doing enough. But you're not.
You donate to charity, you abstain from gambling, you mention the Lord frequently, you pray at great length and possibly in tongues. You're a great Christian. You're doing everything you possibly can to serve Christ.
Are you serious?
Look at the Gospel reading. They're tired. They're all tired. They get away to rest, though even in pre-motor-vehicles times, even getting away is tiring. And when they get [SQG] "away", there is the crowd again! Wanting things! They help the crowd and try to get away in another direction, and they find another crowd!
That's how much work you should be doing for Christ. In our modern daily life, crowds aren't gonna follow you, but needy people are going to be constantly phoning, texting, coming by, stopping you on the street, asking for favours. At first they'll ask politely, for something that's really necessary and they really can't do themselves. The more you do it, the more they'll ask for. They'll take you completely for granted and use you for everything. Once you're very tired and all your disposable income has been spent on the needy, you're gonna think now you've done quite enough. More than enough. Those ungrateful wretches don't deserve all your effort anyway.
And?
Those ungrateful wretches didn't treat Jesus with any respect either, you know. Oh yeah, they called him "teacher", but that just shows you ass-kissing is not a recent technology. But other than that? Did they respect his time? Did they respect his space? Did anyone have his back when he needed it?
No.
So don't expect it either. Go help. When you're tired, drained, worn out, and pissed off with all the ungrateful wretches, take a rest. You have that luxury, which Jesus didn't. And then, go back and help some more. You need a certain amount of self-care as a Christian. Although, if you look at Jesus, or the Apostles, or Mother Theresa, it's really hard to tell where the self-care was. But you probably need more self-care than that, even though you're a saint too. So yeah, take a break, rest, regroup.
Then go back and help.
You're a saint. That means Jesus is counting on you to help. Not just a little bit on Sunday if it's convenient, but until you're worn out by it. That's what he showed us. That's what he expects you to do. Go do it.
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