“Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there.” (Matthew 15:29)

“Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there.” (Matthew 15:29)

Despite a very active three-year ministry traversing across the Holy Land, there were moments when Jesus sought solitude to pray, meditate…and simply rest. Whether it was sitting beside the Sea of Galilee or atop a mountain, our Lord needed time alone to relax and re-energize Himself spiritually. 

Rest is an important theme mentioned throughout Scripture, a practice established by God Himself as He created the world and then “rested” upon the seventh day. This model was something God commanded the Israelites to observe as they journeyed to and took up residence in the Promised Land (Ex. 16:21-23). This day of rest later came to be known as the “Sabbath,” a derivative of the Hebrew verb shabbat, meaning, “to cease or rest.

Of course, rest is not to be confused with laziness. But a well-deserved rest is necessary to our mental and bodily health…and good for the soul, too!

Fr. John