Jesus went off with his disciples to the sea to get away. But a huge crowd from Galilee trailed after them—also from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, across the Jordan, and around Tyre and Sidon—swarms of people who had heard the reports and had come to see for themselves. He told his disciples to get a boat ready so he wouldn’t be trampled by the crowd. He had healed many people, and now everyone who had something wrong was pushing and shoving to get near and touch him.Evil spirits, when they recognized him, fell down and cried out, “You are the Son of God!” But Jesus would have none of it. He shut them up, forbidding them to identify him in public.
He climbed a mountain and invited those he wanted with him. They climbed together. He settled on twelve, and designated them apostles. The plan was that they would be with him, and he would send them out to proclaim the Word and give them authority to banish demons. These are the Twelve:
   Simon (Jesus later named him Peter, meaning “Rock”),
   James, son of Zebedee,
   John, brother of James (Jesus nicknamed the Zebedee brothers Boanerges, meaning “Sons of Thunder”),
   Andrew,
   Philip,
   Bartholomew,
   Matthew,
   Thomas,
   James, son of Alphaeus,
   Thaddaeus,
   Simon the Canaanite,
   Judas Iscariot (who betrayed him).
Sometimes we have to make space in our lives to concentrate on the important issues. We need to make space to do God’s work and that can be hard when things are gathering around us and seem to be closing in, especially when those things that are closing in are important and even God’s work.
I love the way the gospels keep blowing away those mental images created by all the kiddies bibles and cheesy films. Here its the fact that he needed a plan to escape the mob “so he wouldn’t be trampled” and “everyone who had something wrong was pushing and shoving to get near”
Sounds pretty lively and messy
“Everyone who had something wrong was pushing and shoving to get near”…trouble is everyone does! But it might not be a physical ailment. Even that list of the disciples names had something wrong, this has given me insight into the enormity of the task the Jesus faced and faces.
Sometimes we (I) need to see the world as God does, thanks for the insight.