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Gospel Reflection for Saturday, February 8, 2025
Dear brothers, peace and good.
The Apostles return from their missionary journey, from the practice they had been sent to, and Jesus takes them on a «retreat,» to a quiet place, to give thanks to God for all they had accomplished. You see, every now and then, it’s good to stop, disconnect from the world, and rewind to see how we’re doing and how we should be doing. And to make any necessary adjustments, to be better and to be more focused on the things of the Father. A luxury, really, in these times of rushing, stress, and «I don’t have time for anything.»
That time, for sure, they would have wanted to spend giving thanks to God the Father for all that had gone well. And, perhaps, also for what hadn’t gone so well. But…
But Jesus was so committed to the mission that, like a good strategist, He changes the plan on the spot. Seeing the crowd that had run—no, flown—to find them, He «leaves the disciples» and starts preaching to them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Compassion first. The motto of Christ’s life. Living with open eyes, like Mary, His Mother, to detect what was most urgent, timely, and effective in each moment. If only we could detect even a small percentage of those needs, to be able to address them, within our means.
I think this moment must have been a great lesson for the Apostles. In that process of catechesis, they understood what their lifestyle should be. As the Apostle St. Paul would say elsewhere in Scripture, «preach the word in season and out of season.» They had grasped the meaning of the phrase we repeat in the psalm, «The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.» The disciples could go without eating, without sleeping, without resting, so that the Kingdom of God would not stop spreading.
Today, it’s hard for us to bear witness to our faith. Cases like my friend Pablo, who goes out on weekends to proclaim Christ on the streets all over Spain (and beyond), are very rare. But Jesus’ command is clear: «Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News.» Some of us have been called to do it in far corners of the earth. But all of us can do it wherever we are. With our words and with our actions. Even when it’s not convenient. Even when it changes our plans. Because what’s important is, like Jesus, to be compassionate and always available, to do the will of the Father.
Your brother in faith,