It is I; do not be afraid

Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

When they had crossed over they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

- Mark 6:47-56

Yesterday, we read about the feeding of the five thousand men (and more women and children). Jesus had gone to a deserted place, to be alone and rest with the Apostles who have returned from their first mission. But the crowds follow Him, wherever He goes. The Gospel tells us: And Jesus when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. Jesus taught them many things, and when evening came, the Apostles told Him to send them out to villages to find food. But Jesus said, "You give them something to eat." Jesus blesses and breaks the few loaves of bread and fishes on hand, and the disciples distribute. Five thousand men are served, with twelve baskets of fragments left over. It is, in effect, a prefiguring of the Eucharist. He then sent the disciples across the Sea of Galilee to Bethsaida, while He departed to the mountain alone to pray.

Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. Here are some interesting sentences indeed! The boat was in the middle of the sea, and yet Jesus sees them from the mountain top, in the smallest detail. It is a sense in which we understand that all the details of our lives, and our hearts, are known (see Luke 12:7, Acts 1:24). The fourth watch would begin at 3:00 A.M. Jesus has been on the mountain top praying most of the night, and it is very early morning. We note not only that He's walking on the sea, but that He "would have passed them by!" They are straining, but this language implies a great carefree attitude on Jesus' part, as if nothing important is happening.

And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." My study bible notes that this language in His reply, literally "I am" in the Greek, is a testimony to His own deity. Especially as this phrase is used in the Gospel of John, it is the reflection of God's name as revealed to Moses at the burning bush. "Do not be afraid" is a command, and reflects His presence with them. As in so many recent readings, an encounter with this Kingdom and this King is an encounter with love, in faith. To be of "good cheer" means more specifically in the Greek, to be emboldened, warmed in the heart with strength and confidence. It is a phrase that may accompany His warming light, His fire burning in our hearts.

Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. Surely this is another great sign of the presence of God, and the Evangelist notes that they had not understood about the loaves (see yesterday's reading), for their "heart was hardened." To have a hardened heart is to fail to understand, to fail to perceive spiritually the things that are of essence. A "heart of stone" implies not only a heart that cannot perceive, but also one that is cold, as opposed to the illumination of the lamplight of Christ. My study bible notes, "The knowledge of Christ is a matter of the heart. When our hearts are illumined with God, they become the seat of divine presence, grace and knowledge. In all the ascetic writings of the Orthodox Church, the heart is known as the 'seat of knowledge.'"

When they had crossed over they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well. Once again, in Mark's gospel, they cross over the Sea of Galilee. This time, they are in Gentile territory. Jesus has just revealed His divinity in two important episodes or signs: one was in the feeding of five thousand (yesterday's reading) and now here on the Lake (the Sea of Galilee) in the early hours of the morning. In some sense, this is a feeding and revelation to Israel, a reflection of the manna in the wilderness and in Jesus' invoking of the Divine Name (I AM, or ego eimi in the Greek). But here in Gentile territory, they alike respond to Him and seek out healing. To touch the hem of His garment reflects the episode of the healing of the woman with the years-long blood flow (also separating her from the community, something unclean, and so outside, like the Gentiles). As in her story, the healing of these Gentiles reflects their faith, or what is in their hearts, as the spark that creates the connection to His power.

And so, in today's reading, we are given further evidence of just what kind of a Kingdom this is, and what kind of King we have. This is a king who, when He exhibits His power (even His divinity), tells us, "Do not be afraid." He is not a king like the Roman emperors, who also declare themselves to be divine. This is a king who has subjects from all nations and places, whose rule is most of all bound in the heart, through faith, and whose power is exercised in that connection, that relationship. But the heart is also a seat of knowledge and understanding, and even His closest disciples did not understand the sign of the loaves and fishes, the feeding of five thousand in the wilderness. The connection of faith is what gives us His strength and healing; it would take away our fear, and make us whole. It imparts to us His gift of grace and leadership, for in some sense we are all "like sheep without a shepherd." What is it that you find in your heart? Can you find His peace there?