When work has been pressing and demanding on you, or if it’s rather the demand of school or regular life duties that has asked much of you –or if you just need a change of scenery or activity in your life— then the word “vacation” may something you are considering! Southwest Airlines has a whole advertising campaign based on three words: ‘Gotta get away?! They are hoping you use their airlines for that break.
This Summer, including last week, I took part in helping others to get away for a vacation—one was for a religious person, and the other was for an 89 year old relative—which was taking together a Berkshires vacation in New England last Monday through Thursday. Those experiences helped me to remember a bible story of Matthew’s Gospel about a person who helped Jesus to take a break to “the shore” on the Mediterranean for He and His disciples to get some down time
It’s in Matthew chapter 15.
Now you should know that the people of Israel of the Gospel days were not to taking vacations to the beaches of the Mediterranean or the Dead Sea— or elsewhere, even, not like we might have some opportunity to do. They usually stayed put. After all, the Roman occupation of Israel made that an economical restraint and a safety issue. The only freedom in Israel for the Jew was to travel on pilgrimage to Jerusalem for a holy day, or to go to synagogue for a Sabbath. Otherwise, you didn’t travel except maybe to see family, but doing so cautiously.
Yet in Jesus’ ministry years, I can see some ministry “r and r” taken by Him—though it was very infrequent. We do know that He had something of a “B & B” situation afforded to Him and His disciples at Martha, Mary and Lazarus’ place in Bethany—on the road to and fro Jerusalem. Those were short stops, but surely ones of hospitality and love.
But I do know that Jesus once took a longer and real break or ‘vacation’ in the story told in the middle of Matthew’s Good News. Jesus “got away” purposely from His work in Galilee and Judah. Matthew chapter 15, verse 21 says how “Jesus went away and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. “ He went there with disciples and it was out of the way, for sure. It was the area of two port cities on the Great Sea (the Mediterranean), up by the Lebanon border. Was it a vacation? Let’s call it that, but maybe it’s better described as a “get away break”
Someone had offered him a place to stay that He could also take His disciples to—way down on the coastlines of Lebanon. It probably had a wonderful view of the water, and with sea breezes to relieve a person. It was a friend of The Lord who was offering it, though they are unnamed in the account, and we are not given many details of it, but that there was lodging for rest, good food and plenty of it, and attendants at the place to offer help and hospitality. Tyre and Sidon were places not known for faith in the Old Testament times, so it seemed an unlikely destination for Jesus, plus for the fact that Jesus had said His ministry would be focused just on Israel and her lost sheep (Mt. 9:36 and Mt. 15:26). Yet it would be a good hide-away for recuperation and rest. He would take their offer. It would be good to meet a believer or two way out on the coastline, where normally you wouldn’t expect it, much less of such a generous, giving household of faith.
If you read Matthew 14 of the immediate time before this trip to the sea, then you see that Jesus had been dealing with some very stubborn people in the Scribes and Pharisees who minimized sin and any need for repentant heart. They were talking just of externals for adequate faith, but Jesus was pressing for internal conversion. But they bucked Him. Today’s Psalm line must have been on Jesus’ mind: “If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.” (From Psalm 90.) Yet they did—and it seemed a good time for Jesus in His human capacity (and for His disciples) to take some downtime. So Jesus withdrew to the Tyre and Sidon area. It says that he had rest and meals there.
Jesus’ ministry was designed to go and depend upon the help of supporters in the land. Matthew 10 has a verse in it about that: “a workman is worth his keep.” It meant that Rabbi Jesus and His traveling band would find charity from others. Still, lavish offers of a beach house were few. Jesus said yes to this beach-house break for R & R.
At the ‘vacation,’ Jesus’ disciples were trying to keep people from interrupting Him and them from others from their respite care time. But a Syro-Phoenician woman had found a way to be among the waiters at table for Jesus for a big meal. She had faith in Jesus and had a big request to make of Him. Jesus sensed it was worth an interruption to their rest.
The meal was done and some left-over food scraps were being shared with dogs that came in to go under the tables for them. The woman spoke up to Jesus and commented that the Jews often would not give food to the “dogs” who they named the foreigner people. Yet real dogs were getting scraps, and so could she, a Canaanite woman of the region have some scraps from Jesus, but not of food, but for the asking of a favor? Jesus agreed to give her his time and attention, and said that foreigners shouldn’t be called “dogs.” He explained to her His mission was to Israel in these ministry days, so He’d not likely be back in this border place. So the woman came out with it and said that she was a big believer in Him. She prostrated before Jesus. She said that she had heard of His miracles and that Jesus Messiah was of God Who even did healings on Sabbath days, so that this request would not be out of order. She asked for a miracle healing –that her daughter, who was in some dark hold of a demon, could become set free of it in a healing. She believed He could do it from afar for the daughter, who could not travel to this place, nor in any way get welcomed in. Jesus then gave her His answer, and gave forth a healing to the woman’s daughter afar.
This event “on vacation” was meant to be. He had come to get physically and mentally renewed, but this was a great spiritual blessing. After being so disappointed in the lack of faith of people in the Scribes and Pharisees’ following, here He had gladly met a foreigner who did believe greatly in Him. He said to her: “Great is your faith. Let the miracle happen for you.” Matthew 15:28.
From that break, it says that Jesus was fully refreshed and He made His way back to Galilee with His disciples. He was encouraged to go deal healings of the lame, the blind, the lame, the deformed, and many others in Galilee—as you read in Matthew 15 and on. His ‘vacation’ or retreat by the sea has renewed Him.
Thus, I see this story as one that gives a thumbs up for vacations and for breaks from our regular pressures or grind. You deserve a break today, so get up and get away, for vacation. To be renewed so as to serve the Lord in your daily life.
For Catholics, we can also find that the Lord taught that we need to observe a “Lord’s Day” for a new week’s break. Keep Holy the Lord’s Day remains a Commandment to observe. Thus, we come to Holy Mass to pray and rest and have an hour together (or so) with our God. The Lord’s Day also points us to the hope of paradise, of an eternal rest or re-creation, when we get to break away from this world of sin and death, to be one with the Lord forever. That forever Paradise life, awaiting us, is part of our Lord’s Day perspective. We sup with the Lord, even for a simple though profound meal of the anticipated Lord’s Supper of Heaven. We have a day break from the usual grind, considering that a Day Break is coming of freedom to Glory ahead. To quote St. Paul we consider even the eternal weight of glory to be overwhelming to someday overturn all our anxieties, problems and sufferings for the present. (2 Cor. 4:17). Read C. S. Lewis’ book sometimes on this matter and perspective, it is really good. The book is called “The Weight of Glory.”
In Luke 4 it tells of Jesus going to the synagogue to pray on Shabbot, as was his custom to do. In Jesus’ youth into his adult years, He did take this weekly time, imitating His 7th Day rest when He worked Creation for us.
So –today is a mini break in life that you are taking. Good choice on The Lord’s Day. You also can heed His promptings for other kinds of rest or recreation or vacation. Amen.