At Home, On Retreat, and Serving with the Good Shepherd

I write this while still in Texas visiting my family. It’s been a great trip! Relatives from all over pilgrimaged to witness the family patriarch (my father) turn 90 and we have enjoyed countless hours of tales from the farm on which they grew up. As chapter 6 opens up Jesus is visiting his home town as well, and we see Jesus has his own mother and four other siblings, But he is out doing gods work.

I often feel hindered by my own family for they are devout Catholics and I have “gone astray”. I have tried to display the power of Jesus in my life; how my character has grown under Christ, how my marriage flourished under Christ, and how my life still finds so much joy though I am now a widower. They often don’t want to hear about my faith because it is not catholic. Perhaps in this way I can feel the frustration of Jesus.

I love how Jesus seems to create his own close family under his father’s kingdom. I’ve been away from home now for more than 20 years and I have found this aspect to be the most comforting in my life.

The tasking of Jesus to his disciples (how he gave instructions to his disciples to obey) is very cool! He says to them to not rely on the world rather only rely on God, then you will have authority over things the world has no authority over. In this way they were able to bring great comfort and healing to those who are suffering. But I love what Jesus does when they return. He gives them a retreat away from everything but just with each other and with Jesus. They find rejuvenation by retreating into Christ. As they reach the shore Jesus finds others suffering, and though Jesus might be suffering himself because of the loss of his cousin John the Baptist, it says he looks upon them like sheep without a shepherd harassed and helpless. Jesus continuously and tirelessly provides comfort and peace to the sick harassed the helpless and the weary. I think my biggest conviction out of this passage is I should be finding my refreshment my energy my joy and my power all through Jesus by continuously striving to hold onto him.