16th Sunday in
Ordinary Time
July 19, 2015
Mark 6:30-34
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place
and rest a while (Mark 6:31).”
Are you happy? Are you fulfilled
in this life? Let us pause for a moment and reflect. Some of us may possess a
stable job and moving-up career. Some may have a perfect family with beautiful
kids. Some may enjoy success in our ministries or service in the Church. Do we
truly experience a deep and profound joy in our hearts? If our answer is ‘no’
or ‘yes’ with a bit hesitation, then today’s Gospel may shed a little light
because Jesus is inviting us to go to the deserted place and rest.
Quest for happiness is inborn in our human nature. In fact, this is the very
reason for our existence and actions. We study, work, get married, build family
and serve because unconsciously we want to be happy. Unfortunately, we often
miss the point and lose sight of the true purpose of our lives. Why? Paul
Murray, an Irish Dominican priest, once wrote, “one reason, perhaps, why so many in society today feel unfulfilled
and are not ‘happy’ is because the vision of life which we are offered, or
which – sad to say – we allow to be imposed on us, is one that is restricted to
a pragmatic, one-dimensional view of the world.” This means we see happiness as something
can be achieved in through material gains and worldly success. If we look our
education system, not few schools are aiming to train their students to be
skillful force labors, successful workers, and unconsciously form them to adore
and exalt the pragmatic values of earning money and achieving highest post. The more the merrier!
Few days ago, I was attending a
retreat and seminar-workshop in Baguio City, Philippines. Here, I re-visit the
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The hierarchy begins with physiological needs like
food, shelter and clothing and reaches its summit in self-actualization. But, I
learned that Abraham Maslow added one more thing above self-actualization. It
is the transcendence. This step speaks of our deepest desire to reconnect to
the very source of our life. Deep inside, our souls are aware that we are made
for something much greater than simply accumulating material success, bodily
pleasure or earthly glory. We long for God. In the words of St. Augustine, “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and
our heart is restless until it finds its rest in You.”
Jesus made seemingly ordinary
move when He invited His disciples to rest. However, this context created a lot
of difference. Disciples just went back from their successful preaching and had
a lot of things to be proud of, but Jesus’ first decision is not to praise
them, but to bring them into solitude. Jesus led them into the higher purpose
of their mission and lives, because only in silence and rest, the disciples
would be able to get reconnect with what truly essential – Jesus Himself.
Some people would attack religion
as irrelevant and just another human creation to induce fear and control. This
view seems to be justified as some radical group justify their violence in the
name of religion. However, the authentic religions have nothing to do with
violence, but the real purpose of any religion is to become a meeting place
between human and the Divine. Jesus established His Church to enable His people
to encounter Him and to find true respite and joy. We go to the Church, not
because it is a family tradition that imposes on us, or a status symbol, or our
parents will get angry if we do not go. Sunday is a holy day because this day
is when we break free from the limiting view of life, from constant work for
material gain, and to enter into the Transcendence. Then, only when we are able
to open our hearts to God’s invitation to rest in Him and to recognize that we
are made for Him, we will find the true happiness that we always long for.
Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno,
OP
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