And when Jesus heard . . . (of the death of John the Baptist) He withdrew to a solitary (quiet) place. When our hearts are broken, do we seek solace alone? People probably followed Jesus for a number of reasons: seeking comfort, seeking a miracle, just to be with Him, just to be with the others (following the crowd) or to comfort Jesus. Matthew is the only gospel writer who actually acknowledges that Jesus sought solace alone in His grief. In the Jewish tradition of Shiva, following His time of being alone (with His Father), Jesus chose to share/serve a meal to his followers.