Jesus was on a roll. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law, cured countless other sick, and expelled many demons. He healed and exorcised all night. Yet just as daybreak was coming, “Jesus left and went to a deserted place” (Lk. 4:42). At the very time when Jesus could expect even more people to come to Him for healing and consolation, He went off by Himself to pray.
All throughout Luke’s gospel, he is careful to show us the life of prayer that Jesus had. Especially at critical moments, Luke reminds us that Jesus maintained a strong bond with the Father. Our lives can easily become so outward-focused. We do much that is genuinely good, and we wish to do more. Jesus was likewise doing much good in today’s gospel—healing and curing so many people—and yet knew that he needed to maintain that bond with the Father in order to carry out His ministry. If Jesus needed to maintain that bond through prayer, then it is all the more true for us.