Mark 6:46 … Up to the Mountain (02/16/17)
“After saying farewell to them,
he went up on the mountain to pray.”
~ unknown (Mark 6:46)
First of all, it is helpful to realize that Jesus is frequently shown in the Gospels retreating into solitude to pray (see Mark 1:35, Matthew 14:23, Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 5:16, Luke 6:12, Luke 22:41-44, John 12:27-28 et al) – and it is in harmony with his teachings and indeed his entire ministry to realize that he did so not only to have a more peaceful place with which to commune with his internal heavenly Father (John 14:20), but that he also did so to “recharge his batteries” (i.e. to re-affirm his Compassion for others – see Matthew 9:36, Matthew 14:14 & Matthew 20:34) from the draining frustration he regularly felt in dealing with the large numbers of chronically ignorant & manically selfish people who followed him (e.g. Matthew 14:23, Matthew 16:5-12, Matthew 16:21-23 et al) …
In addition, his praying in solitude was yet another example of Jesus walking his talk, for in Matthew 6:6 he quite clearly proscribes that when you pray you should “go into your closet and shut the door and pray to your Father who is hidden [within you]” – a practice that enhances clarity of thought, elevates purity of intention, and assures humility of self (see Matthew 6:5 – “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others”).
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