“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
So, before I start this reflection I want to say that I am not a fan of the music group, Korn. In fact, when I first heard the name of the group I thought they either were promoting the consumption of the “ear-ie” vegetable or they were just really into “Dad” jokes. Then I listened to their music. Just not really crazy about heavy metal. But to each their own in terms of taste in music. I am not ashamed to say John Denver and Olivia Newton-John are on my play lists.
Why all this confession in musicology? In researching for this reflection I came across the story of Brian “Head” Welch. A guitarist with the group and one of its early members. Korn formed in the 90s and rose to stardom relatively quickly. Now, as many of you may know if you had watched the TV series, “Behind the Music”, success often breeds addiction. And this was certainly the case with Korn as a band, and with Brian Welch, particularly. From 2003 to 2005 Welch admitted that the band was only sober a couple hours each day. Being high was the all-consuming aspect of his life. In spite of all the attention and success, Welch felt lost. He married and had a daughter in 1998. Not long after, Welch and his wife split up and he took sole custody of his daughter. But his addictions spiraled out of control, doing drugs while caring for her. An encounter and friendship with a Christian (Welch admits that he was initially attracted to this friendship because the guy built Monster Trucks and was “cool”) began the transformation. Welch began attending church and pronouncing belief in Jesus as his savior and was baptized. Over the next several months he continued to struggle with drugs but eventually eliminated them from his life and Christ began to occupy a greater part of his existence. In 2005, he left Korn as part of his recovery. Pulling away from all the influences that led him down the road to addiction. He was without music until he launched his solo career in 2008 and returning to Korn in 2013. He remains sober and performing. But it was his “desert” experience in leaving the band initially, his identity up to that point, that allowed him to focus on what truly was important. First his relationship with God and then his relationship with his daughter.
We all, I think, need to step away from our lives at times in order to refocus. To tune out the daily routine and examine where we are and where we are going. In today’s Gospel from Mark, the Apostles have returned from spreading the Gospel and reporting back to Jesus all that they had experienced. They were on their own type of “high” in being worked up from all that they had accomplished. I can almost imagine them seeing themselves on the same trajectory as the members of Korn. Maybe as some sort of Apostolic Rock Group. In the reading we learn that “People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.”
But this was not the path that Jesus had in mind for them. They were destined to continue spreading the Word but most would face martyrdom as a result. So He had to bring them back down to earth. Jesus takes the Apostles in a boat to a deserted place. He needs for them to be alone and separated for a time from all the “adoring fans” and “Galilean Groupies”. Jesus was taking them on a retreat. He was pressing the proverbial pause button so that they could rest, they could be fed and to learn. And boy did they need it! When the retreat was over, and they arrived at the place, they were greeted by huge crowds.
“his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;”
In the first reading today, we continue to explore the letter to the Hebrews. A little perspective on this letter. The community that the author (some say it was Paul while others disagree) was addressing was in a slide. They had received the Gospel and grew in numbers but over time they became discouraged. They were being tempted to return to their old lives and focusing on the rigidity of the Mosaic Law. The entire book is designed to encourage and uplift them in their faith journey. In today’s portion the writer is exhorting to them to do good and share what they have. He also stresses the need to follow and obey authority. In this case, the authority of the leaders of the fledgling Church. For it is through authority that orderliness is achieved. And through orderliness much more can be accomplished in growing the body of Christ.
I have this uncanny ability, when working on a project around the house or on the motorcycles, when faced with two choices on how to accomplish something to invariably choose the wrong approach. I then have to back track, undo the damage that I had done and move in the correct direction. And most of the time, when on the wrong path, I develop tunnel vision. Even though things would be falling apart around me, I push harder thinking that I am just not working hard enough to get this done. It is usually about this time Elise sees, and hears, my frustration (great fodder for confession material, BTW) and suggests that I step back and get involved in something else for awhile to clear my head. Of course, I resist at first saying something like, “No, I have to get this done!” In the end, I take her advice and, after returning to the original project things just seem to often fall into place. Why didn’t I see that BEFORE I messed stuff up? I took a step back and it made all the difference.
We all need to take a step back at times. Even in our faith journeys. We can get so caught up in the routine and the mechanics of “Church Stuff” that we forget the reason why we began down this path in the first place. We can lose sight of the ultimate Church Authority…Jesus Christ…and what He has in mind for us. In 2021 Brian Welch commented that he needed to tone down his approach to Christianity because it was becoming another addiction. We can often let the business of Church get in the way of worship I think. Stepping away, a retreat, from the grind can help us refocus.
Retreats can come in many forms. From a time spent at a monastery to time spent alone at the kitchen table. Most commonly retreats occur as a long weekend away from home, such as Cursillo or an Emmaus Retreat or a CHRP (Christ Renews His Parish) weekend. Whatever form it takes, the idea is to unplug, decompress and refocus. To get back in touch with that moment that you first said “Yes” to God.
