Is it time to withdraw?
“When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee” (Matthew 4:12). Was Jesus retreating to Galilee because he was afraid? John the Baptist was the prophet preparing the way for Jesus. If John was arrested, then one can expect that a similar fate awaited Christ. Was Jesus backing away from his mission?
But in our Gospel today (Matthew 4:12-23), we hear Jesus preaching that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” We then read: “He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.” Not only was Jesus proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom with words, he was also personifying the good news with his deeds. Jesus must have established a powerful presence in Galilee. He was not hiding at all. Jesus also called Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be his first disciples. He was even recruiting members to his movement!
Now consider this: Who had John the Baptist arrested? Herod Antipas. Who ruled Galilee during Jesus’ time? Herod Antipas. If Jesus was running away, Galilee—ruled by the very person who had John arrested—should have been the last place to go. Instead, by withdrawing to Galilee, Jesus was actually venturing into the lion’s den.
We who profess to follow Jesus share in his mission to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We cannot just stay where it is safe. We have to push into areas that challenge us. These challenges are not only found in war-torn countries like Gaza or Ukraine. They can be the house of the neighbor we refuse to talk to or the family reunion where we may bump into a relative we have been avoiding.
While there were Jewish communities in Galilee, there were also many non-Jews there. That’s why it was also called Galilee of the Gentiles. Jesus could have just stayed with the familiar, but Christ, in withdrawing to Galilee, was also including those he did not know. And again, we who say we are Christians can show that the kingdom is at hand when we also step beyond our comfort zones. These need not be faraway places. They can also be areas inside ourselves we have never explored before.
Anachoreo is the Greek word translated as withdraw. An alternative translation is depart for. Another possible translation is give place or space. When Jesus withdrew to Galilee, we can say he was giving space to what was risky and what was unknown. Can you also “withdraw” in the same way Jesus did?
But how can you “withdraw” when you feel spiritually bankrupt?
The point of Jesus’ withdrawal was not to face challenges just for the sake of facing them. The whole point was to show that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” There is much in this expression that we can explore.
At face value, it means that the kingdom is near, almost there—just stretch out your hand and you can touch it. But still, you must push yourself, stretch, and reach out. The kingdom needs your action and cooperation.
When Jesus declared that the kingdom was at hand, he was announcing its arrival. Later theology has nuanced this using the very delicate yet dynamic tension of “already but not yet.” The kingdom has been inaugurated by Jesus and is present in him, but it still awaits its full consummation.
When we feel unable to “withdraw,” it may help to look for signs of the “already,” glimpses of the promise on the way to being fulfilled. Strive to see those small improvements that show that there is growth, even if it comes slower than expected: when people consider that they can be wrong; when people can be humble enough to say “Sorry” without excuses; when we can count ourselves among those people; and when we keep on trying in the face of the “not yet.”
Your prayer assignment this week:
Ask yourself if you can “withdraw” like Jesus, if you can give space to the frightening and the unfamiliar. What would be the Galilee you need to face?
If you find yourself tentative and hesitant, maybe praying with this classic love song from the musical They’re Playing Our Song can help:
I’m afraid to fly
And I don’t know why
I’m jealous of the people who are not afraid to die
Perhaps you can ask Jesus why he was not afraid to die.
And now I'm fallin’
Fallin’ fast again
Why do I always take a fall
When I fall in love
Recall some of the times you have fallen. Ask for the grace to admit that we can never take away the possibility of fallin’ because we are still in the “not yet.”
You think by now I’ve learned
Play with fire
You get burned
But fire can be oh so warm
And that’s why I’ve returned
The warmth of the fire can be signs of the “already.” Ask for the grace to see and feel the fire that warms in big and small moments in the everyday.
Turn and walk away
That’s what I should do
My head says go and find the door
My heart says I found you
Maybe this is how we can continue risking the fall—when the kingdom is not just a set of optimal conditions but a person. Maybe this is also how Peter, Andrew, James, and John were able to leave their boats and nets and risk everything. Hearing Jesus' call, they were able to say, “You found us.”
Imagine Jesus looking you in the eye, saying “I found you,” then singing:
Maybe this time, I’ll have it all
Maybe I’ll make it after all
Maybe this time I won’t fall
When I fall in love.
Fr. Francis teaches Theology, Education and Scripture at both the Ateneo de Manila University and Loyola School of Theology. As a classroom teacher, he is first and foremost a student. As a professor, he sees himself primarily as a pastor.
