Everybody gets tired

Jesus would understand that it's hard to be nice when you're tired. In this week's Gospel (Mark 6:30-34), He and the Apostles are ready to fall sleep, but the people they meet won't let them!

The Apostles came back from teaching people about Jesus. It had been a long trip, and they were tired. "Let's go rest by ourselves," Jesus said. But lots of people followed them. Jesus felt sorry for those who wanted to learn from Him: They were like sheep without a shepherd to lead them. So He sat down and started teaching them about God.

Jesus and the Apostles must have felt like you! After they walked from town to town, telling people about God, they were all tired out. They just wanted to go to sleep; they didn't want to be nice to the crowds of people who followed them, wanting to hear more!

The best way to feel better when you're tired is to sleep for a while. If you can't, it's important to just do what you can: If you feel like you can't play with other kids right now, play by yourself. If you need to go sit and cry a little, try that. Maybe a hug from a grownup you like would help you feel better, too.

When Jesus saw how tired the Apostles were, He helped them out. Even though He was tired Himself, He sat down to teach people. Jesus knew that it's important to do what you can -- and what He could do was talk about God!

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: Jesus, help me take care of myself when I'm tired. Amen!