Relevant?

Yesterday's Gospel account (Mk 6:30-34) got me wondering about something. Why did the crowds search Jesus out so diligently? What led them to rush to an out of the way, deserted place to listen to this preacher, as they would have seen him? As I think about it, the only thing that makes sense to me is that he was preaching and living the Truth, and they were intrigued by that. Jesus was not being relevant, not telling them what they wanted to hear, but he was telling them what the needed to hear and something in their hearts stirred, opened up. As St. Augustine so aptly says: "Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O God."

As I also look back over my week, I had to put my foot down over this challenge to be relevant. A group wanted to act out the Gospel at Mass, instead of having the priest read it. (So that it can be relevant.) "It's the GOSPEL, it is relevant!"

A wise priest once said: "The gates of Hell have the word 'relevant' spray painted on them in bright purple iradescent paint!" Don't call me relevant, because that is too wishy washy. I hope to preach the Truth, as St. Paul says: Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!