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Gospel Reading for February 07, 2026 – Mark 6: 30-34
FOCUSED
The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them.
When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
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The apostles returned from the mission to which Jesus had sent them, and they must have excitedly reported their successes. Jesus then told them to go to a deserted place and rest for a while. In Mark 1:35 and Luke 4:42, we see that Jesus himself went to deserted places—not only to rest, but also to pray.
Success and the accumulation of loyal followers, especially in the work of evangelization and healing, can easily go to one’s head. It is the mind that the devil seeks to penetrate, knowing that our hearts already belong to God. The mind can influence the heart, leading us to feel and believe that the success we experience is attributable to ourselves. This is why it is so important to remain FOCUSED on our mission of evangelization and healing if we desire continued success.
When success goes to our head, we slowly drift toward failure. How can we preach about God when we are full of ourselves? Most likely, it will be ourselves that we end up preaching.
Jesus teaches us to rest so that we may regain our strength, and to pray so that we may remain FOCUSED and not be overwhelmed by success.
Lord Jesus, may we always remain FOCUSED on the mission you have entrusted to us.
