I would have been very unhappy if I had been one of the Apostles. Jesus recognized that they had been working hard and promised them some vacation. “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” But when they get to their nice sea side resort instead of a vacation Jesus went back to work. Talk about bait and switch. What does this say (besides the fact that Jesus was more compassionate than I am.) While we certainly are due our time off — burn out is a genuine reality — there are times when we have to put aside our agenda because of the need right in front of us. For example, when a loved one of a friend or family member dies all of our plans go out the door. Dealing with the grief present needs to be done in the moment and cannot be delayed until I get back from Cancun. Finding the balance between compassion for others and self-care is the task of a lifetime.
