Wednesday, January
9, 2002
Week
After Epiphany
1st Reading: 1 Jn 4:11-18
Gospel: Mk 6:45-52
After
the five thousand men were satiated, Jesus obliged his disciples to get
into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, towards Bethsaida,
while he himself sent the crowd away. And having sent the people off,
he went by himself to the hillside to pray.
When evening came, the boat was far out on the lake while he was alone
on the land. Jesus saw his disciples straining at the oars, for the wind
was against them, and before daybreak he came to them walking on the lake;
and he was going to pass them by.
When they saw him
walking on the lake, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they
all saw him and were terrified. But at once he called to them, "Courage!
It's me; don't be afraid." Then Jesus got into the boat with them
and the wind died down. They were completely astonished, for they had
not really grasped the fact of the loaves; their minds were dull.
Commentary
Jesus went off into the hills alone to pray. This is who he is, a person in intimate relationship with God. After praying, he is closer to his disciples and present to them as they struggle to row against the wind. Though near, he is not recognized and they cry out in fear. Jesus reassures them, and as they see the wind and sea grow calm again the disciples are astonished and baffled. Mark presents the disciples as slow to understand who Jesus is and what he is doing. Perhaps this can give us encouragement: what matters is to stay with Jesus, to hang in there, rather than to have all the answers and understand everything.