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John describes the miracle of Jesus feeding a large group of followers. John indicated 5,000 men. We don’t know how many women or children were present. I suspect there might be some exaggeration here.

Although Jesus knew what he was going to do, he still asks Philip to give an opinion of what could be done. It is a great teaching tool where the teacher highlights the student’s understanding before the teaching.

John is making an important point that I want to draw your attention to in this reflection. The point has to do with ones perspective of what Jesus can and will do in our lives. Our perspectives can either enhance or inhibit the course of our lives.

Are we open to allow God to surprise us? When an event or situation does not turn out the way we wanted or expected are we willing to hold back judgement and explore what God could be directing us to do. Are we open to change and to broaden our perspective of God and His role in our life?

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In Today’s Gospel from Mark, we learn that the apostles had returned from some mission activity and are updating Jesus on their experiences. What is immediately noteworthy is that Jesus’ first response is an invitation to get away and rest.

It seems to me that Jesus is talking about the value of rest. Jesus is a head of his time. Psychologists and other mental health professionals are increasingly recognizing the need for rest to prevent burnout. More and more I hear about Compassion fatigue, a component of burnout. Compassion fatigue is the cost of caring for others or for being exposed to their emotional pain.

It is important to recognize the signs of burnout and Compassion Fatigue.

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Jesus is sending his disciples to gain some missionary experiences. The first thing is that Jesus sends the disciples out two by two. I thought Jesus could have doubled his impact by sending them out alone. It becomes clear that Jesus is not concerned with numbers. He is making several teaching points about spirituality and faith that are helpful in deepening our faith. Jesus is making it clear that they are not to have anything to slow them down or get in the way.

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The Gospel Mark 6:1-6 is unusual, it seems that Jesus is returning to his hometown, likely to visit his family and friends. We don’t know if this visit occurred early in his mission work or towards the end. However, his family and friends have heard about his ministry, and they are not impressed. Jesus is understandably disappointed in their behavior and attitude.

Jesus did not always get support from his family. In Mk 3:21 we have the family of Jesus coming to get him because they believed he was “out of his mind”. In Matthew 12:46-50 we have Jesus’s family wanting to speak to him, but Jesus uses that experience to teach people about family. One cannot be too hard on his family. They were trying to protect him...from himself.

Families are important. It is in growing up within a family that we learn to love. How do you teach someone how to love? Only by loving them. How do you teach someone to trust? Only by being trustworthy. I suspect some people have difficulty with their faith because they have only experienced conditional love or have had their ability to trust bruised.

Families are not always easy. Even the members of the family of Jesus had to grow in their ability to be a healthy family.

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Today’s Gospel is a miracle story within a resurrection story. The first is the story of a woman who is healed after many years of suffering from hemorrhages. This miracle story is unique as the miracle happens without her saying anything to Jesus. She believes that she simply needs to touch the hem of his garment for the healing. She is correct, she is indeed healed.

Jesus was fully a teacher and would not pass by a teachable moment. By calling this woman out he is making a point that her faith played an important part in her healing. She made herself available for Jesus to act, and in so doing, provides us with a model of what true faith can accomplish.

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Today’s Gospel describes an experience Jesus had with his disciples on the Sea of Galilee. This story was well known during the early days of the Church, especially during the persecutions. The early Church community was often in crisis as it dealt with factions from within and persecutions from the Roman Empire. The people were often afraid and certainly asked themselves the question “Where is God?” Sound familiar? Why is Jesus silent in the midst of all their suffering? There were many martyrs who gave up their lives for their faith. Many early Christians wondered if they were next. This Gospel story likely served as a sign of hope for the people who also felt that they were on a boat during a storm: a boat that was ready to sink.

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We have two very short parables where Jesus is describing the Kingdom of God. The first question that comes to mind is what does Jesus mean by “kingdom of God”? The term is used 126 times in the Gospels alone.

I am also reminded of the statement where Jesus said: “If you had the faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain move from here to there and it will move.” Matthew 17:20. These passages could be a source of strength to those who wish they had more faith or feel their contribution is so minor.

Faith like any part of human life is about growth and development. Our faith will change and hopefully deepen as we grow. As we reach adulthood, we ask more questions, and we may be less willing to accept something at face value.

Growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Growth requires nourishment and rarely happens alone. It cannot be forced or pressured, it follows a set order or specific stages. Problems often occur when growth is distorted by an unhealthy environment. So, what has to happen for our faith to grow?

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This Gospel is perhaps one of the most unusual of all the Gospels. Jesus’ family, including his mother Mary are coming to take him home believing that he is either possessed or has lost his mind. Jesus is accused of being possessed by members of his own family. Due to the lack of understanding of mental illness in those days, strange behavior was often seen as possession. Jesus turns the events into a teachable moment. Jesus seizes this opportunity to let the people know that they are more to God than just people, that they are family.