Today’s Gospel – Mark 7:31–37 – reveals something quite extraordinary. According to Mark, Jesus travelled – walked! – from Gennesaret – on the north-western edge of the Sea of Galilee – west-north-west to “the region of Tyre” – where he encounters the Syrophoenician woman. Mark tells us that Jesus “returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis”. Sidon is in fact about 35 kms north of Tyre. The Decapolis – where he encounters the deaf-mute man in today’s Gospel – is on the south-eastern edge of the Sea of Galilee. That would be close to 200kms in all. Scholars vary on their interpretation of this extraordinary journey. However, it is entirely reasonable to assume Mark did not make a mistake, and that he is telling us of a real journey made by Jesus with his disciples.
The journey is mostly through Gentile territory – places where a Jew could feel very lonely and vulnerable. Add to that, Jesus’ action in healing the deaf-mute: “He took him aside in private, away from the crowd”.
The same gesture is described in Jesus’ healing of the blind man – see 8:22-26. And, on more than one occasion, Jesus took his disciples away from the crowds – see 4:34, 6:31–32, 9:2 & 28 and 13:3.
We can recognize here the place of solitude in Jesus’ life. The English word “solitude” has its roots in the Latin word, solus, meaning “alone”. It is, however, quite different from simply “being alone”. Solitude is about being present to yourself – really present. That can indeed be aided by being alone. However, we can also experience solitude in a crowd. And we can resist solitude when we are alone. Solitude is a choice. It is facing the truth within. Solitude is an essential part of becoming human.
This is in fact the central issue in Baptism where we find our true identity in Christ: “From the very beginning it is evident that the most fundamental question raised by Baptism is our true identity. When an adult presents himself or herself for Baptism …. they are supposed to have entered within themselves, to have struggled as far as they could to dispel all their illusions about themselves, to come to some rough answer to the questions: ‘Who do I think I am? What do I think I am doing? and Why do I think I am doing it?’” (Thomas Merton, The New Man, London: Burns & Oates, 1964, 149).
In speaking of Jesus’ journey and his manner with people who seek his healing presence, Mark describes a man of presence, a deeply reflective man, committed to the truth of who and what he is. The journey would no doubt have been punctuated by times of silence. The naivete of his companions would have . . . what? . . . grated? Lying on the ground under the stars at night would have evoked reverence and awe – and perhaps fear? His real journey would have been the journey within – as it is for each of us.
Place yourself with Jesus and his companions on the way. How do you experience yourself?
(Audio Available)
