"Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him..." The first line of today's Gospel presents a strange image. Jesus was both by himself and with others. He was somehow experiencing the solitude of personal prayer, but was also close enough to his followers to engage in conversation with them.
Although we don't know exactly what the details were of this situation, it does suggest for us an example of what we might call spiritual "balance." Here we see Jesus taking time to be alone in prayer, but also taking time to engage in spiritual reflection with the other members of his community. He didn't sacrifice one for the other. He found a way to have both.
We are called to do the same. Developing the habit of personal prayer is an essential part of our spiritual lives. Like Jesus, we too need to set aside time and space to pray by ourselves, connecting as individuals with our Father in heaven. Whether it be a few quiet moments in the morning, or time to pray at night, this kind of prayer keeps us connected to God. It enables us to give our own answer the poignant question Jesus poses today, "But who do you say that I am?" Personal prayer alone, however, is not enough to fulfill us spiritually. We are also meant to participate in the larger community of believers, joining together with others in communal prayer and reflection.
This, of course, happens every time we attend Mass as we gather together at church and join in the liturgy. For some, "sacrificing" our Sunday mornings week after week may seem like too much to ask. But this is one way we can carry out the challenging command of Christ to take up our cross and follow him.