Tensions are rising, and death seems to surround Jesus on every side. This time Jesus is accused of blaspheming for calling himself the Son of God. They try to stone him, they try to arrest him, but he escapes from their power. He heads to the place where John first baptized and there he remains.
We cannot say for certain what drove him back there, although sadness and disappointment are not far-fetched guesses. What we can say for certain is that this was where his public ministry began. This was where John recognized him as the one who was to come. This was the place where a voice from Heaven was heard proclaiming, “This is my beloved son.” Yes, in great measure, this is where Jesus experienced the truth of who he was. This is where he experienced the truth of his mission and was surrounded by support and companionship.
As he remained in this truth, others came “and began to believe in him.”
In times of desolation, it is incredibly useful to travel back, if only with our memory, to the place where we have experienced the truth of who we are, to the place where we have felt loved, accompanied, affirmed. It is there that we will find bread for the journey, strength, and conviction for whatever lies ahead.