When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself (Mt 14:13).

This is not the first time nor the last time that Jesus withdrew to a deserted place. Unfortunately, his effort for some alone time ended abruptly, for when he got off the boat he was immediately met by many seeking him. Jesus was not put off nor did he roll his eyes at this interruption for time to rest.

Making time for quiet may seem like a waste of time, just a simple act, but it is one that is imperative. As busy a Jesus was, Jesus made time to pray. Though the “deserted place” was full of people by the time his boat reached the shore, he did have some quiet, alone time on the boat before he disembarked. Sometimes in busy moments, even just a few minutes of intentional rest can make a difference. Jesus showed no frustration for having his plans interrupted, instead, his “heart was moved with pity for them” (Mt 13:14).

Often we lose our patience when we are interrupted. When we are cut off or cut short by someone else we may react in a negative way internally and/or externally. Most of the time our hearts are not moved with pity nor do we show compassion for those who may consciously or unconsciously come to us in need.

If we find that we are constantly impatient, short with others, one reason could be that we do not give ourselves time to stop and be still, we do not make time to pray, meditate, or contemplate. We do not sit for a few moments and just breathe. Sometimes when we need to wind down and renew, we choose activities that actually do the opposite. Instead of resting and renewing our minds, bodies, and souls, surfing channels on television, going down rabbit holes on the internet, or watching reels and scrolling through social media for a few minutes will not only turn into a few hours, but we feel more worn out than when we began.

This happens because the video stimulation is not relaxing but actually hyper stimulating our central nervous systems. Especially with social media, once we enter those clips, algorithms go in place and hook into similar viewing sites which activates dopamine hits that get us hooked to engage in more viewing, much more than intended. Again, instead of experience the rest we desperately sought, we feel more wired.

And we then wonder why sleep takes a while and why we get stuck in repeating the same pattern. We just keep moving ahead, on the phone, on our apps, on the computer, working, studying, interacting with others, completing this activity believing that once we finish we will be all caught up. Hyped up on caffeine to keep up the pace we have set, and then needing wine or a drink or two to wind down, we then wonder why we are consistently anxious or on edge, if we are even aware that we are actually in a state of chronic stress, and that may even be when things are going well!

Jesus needed some downtime, and in today’s Gospel, we read that he did not get the amount of time he set out to have, yet he did get a brief respite on the boat before he reached the shore. When he saw the people he did not whisper to himself, “Oh no, here they come again.” He instead was moved in depth of his gut with compassion to serve their needs and he went on to perform an incredible miracle of feeding thousands with only a five loaves of bread and a few fish.

When we turn to Jesus for our rest, renewal, and nourishment, he provides to overflowing. Turning away from the modern temptations of perpetual motion and breathing to be still and sit at Jesus’ feet allows us to enter into his rest. We can trust Jesus and seek his guidance, and allow him to do in us his Father’s will so that we can stop doing, and even if only for a few minutes, just be.

From this place of rest, we can think more clearly, make healthier decisions, and resist the impulsive, reactive, and immediate gratification choices. We can realize what we truly need in the moment. Instead of another handful of chips – a glass of water, because we are actually not hungry but thirsty. Instead of checking emails, we can take a twenty minute nap and reset our mind. Instead of scrolling, surfing, and reeling, we can pull our Bible off the shelf, take a few deep breaths, and read this Gospel account, imagine getting into the boat with Jesus, withdraw to a deserted place for a while, and truly wind down. Giving ourselves at least an hour away from technology before going to sleep, we may find we not only fall asleep quicker but sleep more soundly.

Photo: Evening Rosary walk at University of Saint Mary of the Lake.

Link for the Mass readings for Monday, August 4, 2025