Today's gospel reading brings us face-to-face with what seems to be a genuine challenge for contemporary Christians. This part of the 4th chapter of Luke's gospel is exciting. Imagine the todo that we would encounter if there was someone in the neighborhood who became know for the ability to cure, to heal those in need. No doubt there would be lines of people who need to be cured of cancer, AIDS, MS, mental or emotional problems, diabetes, blindness and on and on. We would most likely require traffic directors!
Aside form the "doing" that was bringing Jesus to his fulfilling moment in ministry, there is a significant sentence placed or buried in this part of the gospel. No doubt these words are inspired by the Holy Spirit for all who read what Luke writes: "At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place."
There will always be more work for everyone. Modern society has inundated all of us with duties and other obligations. The quiet time, sitting on a porch (remember them??), a quiet, solitary walk through a park: so often these experiences seem to be fulfilled only scheduling them on a calendar! We are always "overworking." But Jesus himself needed time to be with God in quiet, in prayer, in time away from the rush of the day.
We can usually find time for distractions. How difficult it is to find time to be alone with God who cures all our ills, heals all our pain and gives us so much peace! What are we going to do to eradicate that?
