This is the story of a spoiled retreat and a miraculous feast. Jesus had sent out the twelve on a short-term mission trip. He gave them power over the unclean spirits and sent them out in pairs. They went out and cast out demons, healed the sick and proclaimed the good news about Jesus, calling people to repent. Jesus trusted them to join in his mission and in his work; he even shared his power with them. By all accounts they were successful. Now, in verse thirty they’ve come back. There’s a lot of energy and excitement as they gather around Jesus. You can imagine them all pumped up, eager to tell him everything that they’ve done, all that they accomplished in his name.
However the disciples must have also been exhausted by all the unscripted coming and going of the crowds. So, Jesus said, ‘Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.’ He invited them to a retreat at a quiet spot on the lakeshore. This is the origin of the Christian practice of making a retreat: a lonely place, where we can drop our public mask, reflect on our life, and rest. Many people are afraid to be alone! Do not be afraid of being alone. Fear rather the opposite. As Pascal wrote, “The sole cause of man’s unhappiness is that he does not know how to stay quietly in his room.”