Be of good cheer! 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 that the apostles, returning from their first mission, gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.  And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."  For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.  So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.  But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities.  They arrived before them and came together to Him.  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.  So He began to teach them many things.  When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.  Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat."  But He answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?"  But He said to them, "How many loaves do you have?  Go and see."  And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."  Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.  So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.  And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.  So they all ate and were filled.  And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish.  Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.  Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away.  And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain 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.  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.   My study Bible comments that this is the second time that Christ permits His disciples to be caught in a storm (see also this reading from a week ago).  The first time, He was with them.  But this time, He had sent them across the sea alone, while He stayed behind on the mountain for solitary prayer.  In this way, my study Bible says, Christ strengthens their faith that He will always be with them in the midst of the storms of life. "It is I" translates literally to "I Am," which is the divine Name of God (see Exodus 3:14; John 8:58).  In this way, Christ reminds the fearful disciples of His absolute and divine authority over their lives.  

And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.  For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.   To know Christ is a matter of the heart and not simply the intellect.  When our hearts are illumined by faith in God, my study Bible says, they are open to receive Christ's presence and grace.  In the ascetic writings of the Church, it adds, the heart is known as "the seat of knowledge."  Interestingly, When Christ tells the disciples to "be of good cheer" in the previous verses, this is a word that means to "take courage" or "be emboldened."   It might be rendered by the common expression to "take heart."  But it means to be warmed from within.  So, in this sense, Christ's call to "be of good cheer" is also a matter of the heart.

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.  My study Bible states that Christ permits miracles though touch in order to show that His very body is life-giving (see also Mark 5:25-29).  

Jesus shows up to the disciples, walking across the water, on the sea, and tells them, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."  We must always note that it is about the fourth watch of the night, meaning this takes place at approximately three o'clock in the morning.  If we think about our own times of panic and fear, we can associate the time of "about" three o'clock in the morning with the stuff of nightmares, bad dreams, sudden fears, panic attacks.  F. Scott Fitzgerald has famously written, "In a real dark night of the soul it is always three o'clock in the morning, day after day" (The Crack Up, 1936).  It's a time when we're seen to be vulnerable, and our sleep can be disturbed.  Sometimes these fears are attributable to influences that steer us away from Christ, from our faith.  After all, as we have read so often across our recent readings from the lectionary, Christ is constantly contrasting faith with fear.  He has repeatedly reminded those in His care to substitute faith for fear.  He told Jairus who sought help for his daughter, "Do not be afraid; only believe."  The previous time the disciples were desperately afraid crossing the sea while Jesus slept, He told them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  The woman with the twelve year blood flow "took heart" and courage, facing all of her fears in her deep need for help, because of her faith in Christ, and touched His hem and was healed (in the same reading as the story of Jairus and his daughter).  Repeatedly we observe this call from Christ, and as He calls to us today, we must observe the same dichotomy and contrast between fear and faith.  When He makes His appearance before the apostles in today's reading, even walking across the water, there is another sort of "spooky" element to the story; they fear that they are seeing a ghost.  Even this adds to the contrast of fear and faith.  For ghosts were then and remain a part of the lore of fearfulness, of things that make us afraid, and it is once again Christ who banishes the tyranny of fear.  His command, to "be of good cheer!" is rooted in a verb that means to "warm."  It's a call to be warmed up and thus emboldened from the inside, from the heart.  So even this is in contrast to the fearful time in the dark on the sea at 3:00 A.M., in what was no doubt a cold wind blowing against them as they strained at rowing.  Christ the true Light is the One who brings the lamp of His fire to us, so that we might see in the dark, but maybe more importantly, so that we are warmed up, emboldened, and take good cheer from within.  We take heart in His light, we can trust in Him, and He can show us the way.  He is the one who banishes the ghosts of our fears and guides us forward, but we must take heart in Him and trust.  Perhaps it is for this reason that the Church teaches historically that we need to guard our hearts, banishing fear, but also being willing to pray into our pain and uncertainty, to reach for Him and His words of eternal life.  Our deepest fears may be confronted in Him, if we but have the courage to meet them His way.  And this is the journey for us of faith through Lent when we are reminded that we are to place all things in His hands and cast off the things we're to leave behind.  Let us not allow our hearts to be hardened.  The ghosts of the past cannot haunt us if we allow ourselves to be led by the light of His lamp.

Do not be afraid; only believe

 

 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.  And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue.  And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.  But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.  Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment.  And immediately her flow of blood stopped.  And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?"  When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me."  Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.  And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well.  Go in peace."  

 

While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead.  Do not trouble the Teacher."  But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."  When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.  Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, 'Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.  But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise."  Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately.  And he commanded that she be given something to eat.  And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

 

- Luke 8:40-56 

 

Yesterday we read that, following a storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus and the disciples sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.   Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. 

 

So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.  And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue.  And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.  But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.  Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment.  And immediately her flow of blood stopped.  My study Bible explains that, for the Jews, contact with blood caused defilement and led to religious and social isolation (Leviticus 25).  The woman shows a bold faith by approaching both Christ and a ruler of the synagogue in the crowd, potentially defiling all of them and subjecting herself to ridicule.  

And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?"  When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me."   My study Bible comments that "Who touched Me?" does not simply mean a physical touch.  Rather, this question means, "Who touched Me in faith?"  Just as "the temple sanctifies the gold" (Matthew 23:17), so also matter is sanctified by Christ's Incarnation.  The power of Christ therefore works even through His garment.  To touch His garment in faith is to touch Him.  In the Church, my study Bible explains, we touch Christ through many means such as icons, oil, water, bread, wine, etc.   When this is done in faith, the power of Christ is received.  

Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.  And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well.  Go in peace."   My study Bible says that Jesus calls the woman forward both to take away her fear and trembling and also to strengthen Jairus for the forthcoming news of his daughter's death. 

 

While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead.  Do not trouble the Teacher."  But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."  When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.  Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, 'Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.  But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise."  Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately.  And he commanded that she be given something to eat.  And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.  At the moment Christ is still speaking to the healed woman, news of the death of Jairus' daughter comes.  Let us again take note of the role of faith here.  Jesus takes careful pains to bring in with Him only Peter, James, and John (the disciples with the strongest faith) and the mother and father of the girl.  This is how He dealt with those who ridiculed Him.   The text notes that Christ acts to put them all outside.  This is one of three resurrections in the Gospels (see also Luke 7:11-17, John 11:1-44).  In the earlier story of the widow of Nain, Jesus touched the coffin of her son; at the raising of Lazarus, Jesus called out to him.  Here again Jesus uses a life-giving touch (He took her by the hand) and also gives a command ("Little girl, arise").

 

 There is an important understanding given in Scripture about things which are set apart for the glory of God, things given over and sanctified for holiness.  This applies to the temple and all of its services and functions in the Old Testament, to the workings of the Mosaic Law, and various other ways of understanding holiness.  In the New Testament it applies also to the people of God, the faithful, whom Jesus says at the Last Supper He has called out of the world.  See John 15:19, in which Jesus tells the disciples, "I chose you out of the world" in explaining that they are not "of the world."  See also 1 Peter 2:9.  In yesterday's reading and commentary, we read about the man afflicted by a "Legion" of demons, and his healing by Jesus.  As part of the context of the story, the people by whom that man was surrounded were fine with the circumstances in which they freely raised their swine, and he lived among the tombs -- but they were sorely troubled both with fear at his healing and by the loss of their swine.  This man had to return to his home where he could proclaim the great things God had done for him; clearly the environment among these people allowed no room for what was healthy, and there was no welcome for Christ there.  In today's reading, we may observe the importance of setting apart what is spiritually healthy from what is not.  Christ heals through touch which works via faith, is effective together with the faith of the individuals involved.  He goes so far as to separate all the people in the household of Jairus away from the girl and His act of healing, and He takes only Peter, James, and John with Him into her room (besides the mother and father, whom He's counseled "Do not be afraid" and "only believe").  While the woman with the blood flow took a great risk herself in being a part of that crowd, and had great faith to touch the hem of His garment, He separates her to display her faith and make her an example to the others, adding, "Your faith has made you well."   Although she has violated the law regarding contact with blood and interaction with community, He tells her to "be of good cheer" and, "Go in peace."  In taking specific steps to set people apart in each scenario in today's reading, Jesus is doing so to protect and to shore up faith.  We are given a teaching, through Christ's acts, about how important it is to take all the steps necessary to protect our faith -- and by doing so, effectively to protect our health, be that spiritual, mental, or physical.  In whatever ways we are healed through Christ, it becomes essential to understand this notion of being set apart as that which guards our strengths, and helps to have boundaries against that which will in some way harm faith -- and therefore well-being.  Since healing depends so much upon the quality of faith, and the associated characteristics with faith, such as strength of character, persistence, joy even amid suffering, and especially hope, we are given examples whereby we may take positive steps to protect the real gains for well-being that our faith helps to bring about.  The person struggling with addiction who is helped through prayer and the "Higher Power" of Christian faith, the one who must get healthcare for a family member and struggles with despair or depression but is taught persistence via their faith, or the person who struggles with their own sense of purpose which is fed by faith -- and so many other possible examples -- all must take steps to protect positive forward movement for healing, and this means taking all steps necessary to protect and cultivate faith.  It means surrounding ourselves with those who may help build our faith, who affirm the positive outcomes of prayer and its effect in us, who will not tear down the things we do to help ourselves within a struggle for well-being.  Jesus gives us an affirmative courage to do as He did, and to remember and protect the one thing needed.  Let us take steps to protect our identity as those whom He has called out of the world that offers despair and defeat -- and hold firm to the hope He gives for our lives.

 

Be of good cheer! 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 that the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught on their first apostolic mission.  And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."  For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.  So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.  But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities.  They arrived before them and came together to Him.  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.  So He began to teach them many things.  When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.  Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat."  But He answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?"  But He said to them, "How many loaves do you have?  Go and see."  And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."  Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.  So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.  And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.  So they all ate and were filled.  And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish.  Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.   Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away.  And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain 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.  We recall from yesterday's reading (above), that we have been given a complete day in the life of Christ's ministry, and this is a continuation of that same day.  Jesus went to the mountain to pray by himself, after He sent His disciples into the boat to go to the other side, to Bethsaida, and also He had sent the crowds away who were fed in the wilderness.  Now it is finally evening, and the disciples are in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, while Jesus is still on the mountain.  Somehow He sees them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them.  Again, we have the image of the disciples in a boat on the sea, which by tradition has become an image of the Church.  My study bible points out that this is the second time Christ permits them to be caught in a storm see this reading for the first.

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.  The fourth watch of the night is about 3:00 in the morning.  The first time Christ permitted them to be caught in a storm at sea He was with them.  But this time they are alone.  It is by nature a time in the dark of the very early morning when human beings feel vulnerable.  We can imagine their fright at seeing Him!  But in this way, by allowing them a time to cross the sea alone, He strengthens their faith that He will always be with them in the midst of the storms of life, as my study bible puts it.  It is I is literally translated "I Am," which is the divine Name of God (see John 8:58, Exodus 3:14).  My study bible suggests that Christ reminds the fearful disciples of His absolute and divine authority over their lives.  The text suggests that their human limitations prevent them from understanding about the multiplication of the loaves in the wilderness (yesterday's reading, above), and they have failed to spiritually "take in" the miraculous nature of that feeding.  My study bible comments that knowing Christ is a matter of the heart, not simply of the intellect.  It notes that when our hearts are illumined by faith in God, we are open to receive God's presence and grace.  In the ascetic writings of the 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.   Christ permits miracles through touch, my study bible says, to show that His very body is life-giving.  We are reminded of the woman with the blood flow in 5:25-29, who was healed by touching the hem of His garment.  Once again, we witness that God's grace may work through the created things of the world, an affirmation of the Incarnation itself.

If we look up the name of Gennesaret, we'll find that at its root is the Hebrew word for "garden."  It may mean "prince's garden."  Whatever the meaning, it was known as a place of incredible fertility, both of the soil for agriculture and of the water for fishing.  In the image of the sick laying in the marketplaces for healing by Christ -- and that as many as touched Him were made well -- we get a kind of image of tremendous fruitfulness of faith in this Prince, the Prince of Peace, the Son of God.  They are the abundance of the harvest of faith.  As Christ repeatedly instructs the disciples to cross back and forth over the Sea of Galilee, as He travels from one place to another, we find this harvest where there is faith, and that it is lacking where there is no faith.  Whatever power and accomplishments Christ is able to use and have at His own authority, it will only work where there is a corresponding receptiveness in human beings, a kind of understanding of the heart.  Today's text truly points us to the heart, as we're told that the apostles still fail to understand about the feeding in the wilderness, as their heart was hardened.  In modern understanding, we tend to think only of the brain as a center of knowledge and intelligence, facts and understanding.  But in the ancient sense of the word, the heart is the center of a person, and unites every part of us.  As my study bible points out, faith is more than intellectual understanding.  There is a different kind of knowing and understanding connected to soul and spirit.   It is this heart-knowing that is so seemingly extraneous to a modern mindset, one that accepts what is popularly considered to be "scientific" in outlook.  But this, I would suggest, is even a poor concept of what science is.  Science works on hypothesis, on seeking what has been as yet unproved.  It depends upon forward movement into mystery in order to expand knowledge.  What is popularly called "scientific," that is, accepting only that which has been conclusively proven using particular methods, isn't really scientific at all, as it excludes the understanding that what we don't yet know will always have an impact on what truly "is," and that without that knowledge our own information will remain incomplete.  Moreover, scientific and mathematical proofs frequently rely upon assumptions in order to work -- and one may ask, what are assumptions if not a kind of faith?  To exclude this knowing of the heart and the role of the heart or center or ourselves in understanding -- and even of ourselves as human beings -- is to work with incomplete knowledge, to be deficient in our perception of the cosmos and our places in it.  It is to be lacking in our own fullness of expression and comprehension, our capabilities for understanding.  To have a hardened heart is to fail to perceive the things of the heart, including faith and love.  It is a self-limiting experience, a decision to be blind or deaf in a particular sense.  The Scriptures teach us that to live a truly full life, in an awareness of life and reality itself that is not limited by our own refusal to take in what is before us and offered to us, we need to include this perception of the heart to be fully ourselves and to use the capacities with which we are created in God's image and likeness.  We must be able to take in the things of God to participate in life fully, as we were created to do.  We clearly have the choice, and it is a question of growth in understanding and the fullness of maturity to be all that we can be and not limited through prejudice or false teachings about anything.  We are creatures made for growth, meant to be always asking, seeking, and knocking.  If we are truly to understand our faith, we are meant to grow in understanding in all kinds of ways, with nothing left out of this equation of who we are as human beings and how we can develop our capacities for intelligence of all kinds.  This is what it means to be truly balanced.  The Gospels give us the struggles of the apostles to teach us all about our own lives, our fears, our capacity for trust in God, and particularly how service to God relies on our always asking, seeking, and knocking.  As they mature, so we are meant to mature -- with faith transfiguring everything that we have, even as we witness untrained fishermen becoming wise beyond the understanding of philosophers, articulate beyond the capacities of orators, and changing the world through their courageous missions and heroic martyrdom.  Let us consider all that we are, and neglect nothing of our possibilities through the faith that gives us real balance, and unites all the capacities within us.  It is in this struggle to fully realize who we are that we follow His instructions:  "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."

Be of good cheer! 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 that, having completed their first missionary journey, the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.  And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."  For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.  So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.  But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities.  They arrived before them and came together to Him.  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.  So He began to teach them many things.  When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.  Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat."  But He answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?"  But He said to them, "How many loaves do you have?  Go and see."  And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."  Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.  So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.  And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.  So they all ate and were filled.  And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish.  Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.  Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away.  And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain 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.  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.  This is the second time in Mark's Gospel that Jesus permits His disciples to be caught in a storm (see last Friday's reading for the earlier incident).  In that previous episode, Jesus was with them.  But here He had left them alone.  My study bible says that in this way, He strengthens their faith that He will always be with them in the midst of the storms of life.  It is I is literally translated "I Am" -- that is, it is the divine Name of God (see John 8:58).  Jesus reminds His fearful disciples that as Lord, He has absolute and divine authority over their lives.  "Be of good cheer" is more accurately translated as a command meaning "Take courage." 

For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.   To know Christ is a question of the heart, not simply the intellect.  When hearts are illumined by faith in God, my study bible notes, they are open to receiving His presence and grace.  n the ascetic writings of the Church, the heart is called "the seat of knowledge."  It is the depth and center of the whole of a person.

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.  Jesus permits miracles through touch.  Building on a beginning understanding of Eucharist hinted at in yesterday's reading (above), the Gospel reveals that Jesus shows His very body is life-giving (see also 5:25-29).

In yesterday's reading and commentary, we noted that Jesus nurtures and feeds in all ways; that is, succoring all the varied things in our make up as human beings -- not only the body, but also soul, spirit, mind, heart, strength.  He invites us to continually recall what it means to be a person, all the aspects with which we are endowed, and that each in good balance needs its own food, its own rest, its own replenishment and refreshment.  We might not see that in Jesus sending the apostles across the sea alone, and their second experience of a difficult storm.  But His presence to them on the sea signals that there are no barriers to His presence, and this will stand them in good stead for the blooming of their understanding of His Church after Pentecost.  We should keep in mind that it was about the fourth watch of the night that He came to them on the sea as they strained against the wind.  The fourth watch of the night corresponds to 3:00 AM.  Such a time is familiar to us as a time when worry or fear may seem overwhelming, and so, once again, the experience of the disciples -- and this picture formed in our minds of their struggle in the night on a stormy sea with the wind against them --  is one that we can apply to our individual lives.  We don't often stop to consider that a time when something is lacking or missing can also be a time of learning and assessing.  What is it that we really need?  What addresses our problems?  We have a choice to ruminate on our fears and worries, or to turn to where we find hope, illumination.  Another way that Christ nurtures us is to remind us that with God there are no limits; anything is possible.  His presence, and our prayers, may help to free our minds enough to think outside of the box, to find solutions we didn't see in the darkness and the storm.   The people who respond to Jesus by bringing their sick to Him are also responding to His presence in faith and hope.  In both cases, it is Christ who nurtures and heals in whatever way is necessary.  It suggests to us that basing our lives in faith means that we rest first within a sense that what our true needs are will be made known to us.  It is a kind of balance that keeps us aware that as multifaceted beings, we have many needs and all of them need to be cared for, nurtured, and led by Christ to true healing:  whether we speak of physical ailment or the cares that plague our thoughts in the dark or any time we feel helpless.   Lent can be a time when we cut down to basics, and take some time out to reorient our thinking to what we really need, and what we truly lack.  Let us consider all the ways in which we need Him, and understand our own dependency upon God.

Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid

 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.  And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  Now when evening came, He was alone there.  But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.  Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!"  And they cried out for fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."

And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."  So He said, "Come."  And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."

When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.  And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

- Matthew 14:22-36

Yesterday, we read that when Jesus heard that Herod feared He was John the Baptist returned from the dead, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.  But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.  And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.  When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.  Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."  But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away.   You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."  He said, "Bring them here to Me."  Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.  Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.  And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.   We recall that Jesus had withdrawn to a deserted place after hearing that Herod Antipas now feared that Jesus was John the Baptist returned from the dead.  It's the first time the Roman authorities have taken notice, as reported in Matthew's Gospel, and in this negative way.   We know that the religious authorities are plotting against Jesus,  but Herod the tetrarch is ruler of Galilee and Perea for the Romans.  Jesus attempts to go out by Himself for prayer, and the crowd had followed Him.  Now that He has sent them away, He goes up on the mountain by Himself to pray at this turning point in His worldly ministry.

 Now when evening came, He was alone there.  But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.  Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!"  And they cried out for fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."   We understand this somewhat eerie scene, and the fear of the disciples.  The fourth watch of the night is about three o'clock in the morning; we can imagine them struggling on the stormy sea in the dark of the night, without Jesus.  This is the second time in Matthew's Gospel that Jesus has permitted the disciples to be caught in a storm.  The first time (8:23-27) He was with them, but here He has left them alone.  My study bible says that it is a way of strengthening their faith that He will always be with them in the midst of the storms of life.  Walking on the sea is both symbolic and a sign of dominion over nature, the province of God, displaying Christ's divinity.   "It is I" is ego eimi in the Greek; literally "I Am," which is the divine name of God from the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14).    My study bible says, "Christ reminds the fearful disciples of His absolute and divine authority over their lives."

And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."  So He said, "Come."  And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.    My study bible tells us that it is Peter's faith that allows him to walk on the water, and points out that Peter doesn't really ask to walk on the water nor to perform miracles per se, but rather he wants to be with Christ.  It's kind of a typical impulse of the Peter we know before Pentecost.  Peter participates in this miracle so long as he keeps his focus on Christ, but as soon as he's distracted, his fears take over and he starts to sink.  Peter is the perfect picture of human beings caught up between our natural fears and our faith.  The Greek term for doubt here means "wavering" or "hesitation."  My study bible tells us that therefore the cause of Peter's sinking wasn't the storm but rather the doubt; therefore Christ doesn't rebuke the wind, but Peter.

Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."  This is the first time the disciples make this confession that Jesus is the Son of God.  Only God can be worshiped, and by doing so, they confess His divinity.   The boat is often seen as symbolic of the Church.  It's also been used as an image of a believer's individual journey of faith.

When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.  And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.  Gennesaret was a place known for beauty and for its fertility both of the land for crops, and the sea for fishing.  It was known as the "Paradise of Galilee," and was prosperously situated on an important trade route.  In this sense the place is symbolic of the Kingdom and the flowering of faith in Christ.  The life coming from Jesus' very body in these miracles of healing through touch gives us a sense of His ministry finding the faithful who will follow Him, even as the time is being prepared for His rejection.  We've just read the miracle of the loaves and fishes in the wilderness, and been given an image of the Eucharist to come at the Last Supper.  In that context we may also view the life-creating properties of His body and the means by which His Church will participate in His very life.

There is no mistaking the tensions in the Gospel.  Even as the religious leadership have begun to plot against Him, and Herod Antipas has begun to fear Him, so Jesus' ministry takes its next steps.  Jesus withdraws for prayer, but the crowds follow Him and so is born the central miracle of all the Gospels:  the feeding in the wilderness, the foreshadowing of the Eucharist by which the bread of heaven will continually be given in the Church.  Here in today's reading we see what happens when Jesus can finally withdraw for prayer on the mountaintop.  The Gospel notes the increased presence and signs of the divine that take place with His disciples and those who have faith in Him.  It is the first time He is worshiped by the disciples, the first time they confess He is the Christ.  There is this perplexing, paradoxical reality of the flowering of the Church in the midst of signs of persecution.  God's way is being made clear, a path is being given for the Church, despite looming suppression in the figures of authority.  There is really no other way to view our faith but this:  that God's way is not our way and confounds expectations, preparing a path where there doesn't seem to be one at all.  The preparation is being made for the Church to go out to all the world, a people of God collected to one another by faith, sustained in the Eucharist (and thereby His life-creating presence).  We simply don't know what path will emerge out of the narrow and restricted circumstances created by hostility to Christ and to the Gospel.  In this sense, the picture of the disciples alone at sea at three o'clock in the morning, pulling against headwinds and waves in which even these experienced fishermen on this sea are struggling, gives us a place in which to identify our faith.  We can focus on Him and His words, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."  Be of good cheer in the Greek can also be rendered, "Take courage" or "Take heart." He speaks of the confidence of faith, and His presence.  It is this we rely on through all difficulties, and the example we can see in the Gospel story of God working through all things, no matter how constricted the path seems or circumstances would seemingly allow.  In the face of rejection, faith is the only way -- but we must be prepared to accept outcomes we could never expect, and move forward into the way we're given.