Simon Peter and the other disciples come to him the morning after a day like none they had ever known before.
Christ's popularity was at a zenith. His preaching was a huge success. He dramatically expelled a demon right in the middle of the synagogue. And he had spent the entire evening of the Sabbath working miraculous cures and amazing exorcisms.
The next morning, his disciples must have been wild with excitement. They may have even thought that Jesus would claim the Messianic kingship right away and gather an army to cast off the despicable Roman occupiers. And so, when they awoke to find him gone from the house, and a growing crowd of towns people clamoring to see him, they were confused.
They frantically organized a search party and scour the area. But when they find him, alone in prayer on the mountaintop, and they tell him that everyone is looking for him, Christ's answer is surprising.
He tells them it's time to move on, that his mission isn't to maximize his popularity, but to preach the gospel to all of Israel - this is what his Father sent him to do, and no opportunity for mere personal glory will distract him from it.
This was the first installment of a lesson that Jesus would teach over and over, by words and actions: he is not a political figure looking to climb the ladder of success; he is a servant and a messenger, a man for others.
In a world that tends to idolize "success" and "achievement," where great souls are withered by the rat race of petty promotions and vaporous rewards, the selfless, transcendent purpose of a man entirely focused on fulfilling someone else's plan (i.e., God's), is like a bright star shining in the darkness.
Letting Christ Love Us
This truth of our faith, this fact of Christ's being a man for others, has a direct impact on our personal relationship with him.
It means that Christ is "for" each one of us. It means that he is always thinking of us, always guiding us, always walking with us, always at our side.
As beautiful as this truth is, it can also be hard for us to accept. Our modern society is built on individualism, the idea that each person is self-sufficient, able to achieve happiness and fulfillment through their own efforts. Because of this, depending on others, is often seen as a sign of weakness.
This individualistic attitude is embedded in our TV shows, movies, music, advertisements - we are surrounded by it. And as a result, it seeps into our relationship with Christ too.
We sometimes think that we should be able to make ourselves perfect and holy, and then we will present ourselves to Christ to earn a reward. But if that were the case, Jesus would never have come to earth in the first place.
He wouldn't have given us the Church and the sacraments. He wouldn't have died on a cross to show us the limitlessness of his love. Christ is a man for others, because he knows that all of us need a Savior. It is not a sign of weakness or failure to let ourselves be loved and guided by God - it is the surest sign of wisdom.
Today, as Jesus gives himself to us again in this holy Mass, let's thank him for wanting to stay so close to us, and let's let him touch even the most hidden corners of our hearts, because they are the ones that need his light the most.