The Gospel for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time illustrates how Jesus is the good shepherd who knows how to lead His sheep to fresh water and green pastures. The apostles have just returned from a successful missionary journey and tell Jesus everything they had done and taught.
Jesus wants to find a quiet, restful place and help them process what just happened. Because of the popularity of Jesus' teaching, that place didn't stay quiet and restful for long; it became flooded with people hungering for what Jesus offered.