Mk 6:45-52After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied, Jesus made his disciples get into the boatand precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray.
How many times in the Bible are we told that “Jesus went off to pray”? I can think of 3 times off the top of my head. I’m sure there were plenty more. The important thing to remember is that every time He went off to pray, He came back to give another example of God’s love and mercy.
When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them.
Why did He “mean to pass by them”? After all, they believed Him to be the Messiah, didn’t they? He could continue to the other shore and wait for them. I think He meant to pass them by to show them once again that He is always near.
But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out. They had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke with them, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were completely astounded. They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.
We are all brave when we know Jesus is near. And we profess our love for Him constantly. But how quickly we forget His omniscience and fall back into our fears. As the reading today said, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.”( 1 Jn 4:15-18) So do we have fear because our love is not pure? Remember the two greatest commandments-- (Mt 22:36), “[Jesus], which is the great commandment in the law?” And he said to him, ’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” If we would just follow these two commandments, our fear could be lessened.
A way that I have found to keep me focused on these commandments is to receive our Lord in the Eucharist as often as I can, and spending time in front of the Blessed Sacrament. It reminds me that I am often fearful as the disciples were in the boat, but it also reassures me that my Savior is near to comfort me.
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