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 journey.  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 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 that Christ permits the disciples to be caught in a storm (see this reading).  The first time He was with them, but asleep in the stern of the boat.  Here, He's sent them across the sea, while He went to the mountain to pray (see yesterday's reading, above).  Leaving them alone this time, my study Bible says, is a way of strengthening their faith that He will always be with them in the midst of the storms of life.  We note that it was only recently that they have returned from their first apostolic mission (again, see above), and so it is easy to understand that Christ is preparing them for their future.  "It is I" is literally translated "I Am," which is the divine Name of God (see John 8:58; Exodus 3:14).  According to my study Bible, He is reminding the fearful disciples that He has absolute and divine authority over their lives.  

 

 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. According to my study Bible, knowing Christ is a matter of the heart, not simply the intellect.  It says that when our hearts are illumined by faith in God, they 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.  My study Bible comments that Christ permits miracles through touch to show that His very body is life-giving (see also the story of the woman with the blood flow, Mark 5:25-29).  Consider also that in yesterday's reading, we read of the feeding of the five thousand, prefiguring the Eucharist to come, the gift of Christ's Body and Blood.

 

 Jesus repeatedly teaches in the Gospels that His is the path we need.  He says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).  Elsewhere He teaches, "Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going" (John 12:35).  In John 10:9, Jesus declares, "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."   In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).   Each of these sayings points in the direction of a close following of Christ, a path that is narrow and well-defined by faith in Him.  This is, essentially, discipleship, a close following of Christ, step by step as we advance into a deeper, fuller faith, and more reliance upon Him.  And this is what the disciples experience as they continue with Him.  We've already seen the Twelve chosen to become the first apostles, and them sent out on their first apostolic mission (see Saturday's reading).  In every careful step of the way for these disciples, Jesus has taught them what He wants.  They have learned from Him by living with Him, hearing Him preach, experiencing His ministry, receiving His instructions.  As my study Bible says above, today's reading is not the first time these disciples have been frightened by a storm on the Sea of Galilee, following His instructions to cross over.  Even these experienced fishermen felt frightened for their lives the first time this happened, although He was with them, but sleeping.  But this time, they are on their own, and they're struggling, straining at rowing, for the wind was against them.  The text tells us that 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.  The "fourth watch of the night" is three o'clock in the morning, and we can just imagine what a frightening time this was under these circumstances!  Walking to them on the water, they imagine Christ to be a ghost!  But all of this is in preparation for something.  For the particular path that Christ "walks" them on is one that is given in order to help them to become something essential to the Kingdom and to the Church to come -- for they will carry the newfound Church on their shoulders into the world, a very hostile world through martyrdom and exile in the future.  We might consider such a dangerous and enormously significant mission to be something fearful or burdensome.  But it is a mission of the highest significance, the greatest bravery, the deepest sacrifice, and we know of no other powerful mission with such an established and far-reaching outcome.  For all of us are on this mission of securing the Kingdom and the Church in the world, but Christ prepares a particular path for each of us on this "road" (or "way") that He has for us.  In the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, Christ expresses the understanding of this contribution.  Each worker, without regard for how long or how short the duration of their labor, receives the same reward.  This makes sense if every unique contribution is necessary to the project.  Each of us has a narrow way, a particular mission to follow, depending on how we're meant to serve that Kingdom and our Lord.  When we go through challenges and difficulties, when we're asked to make sacrifices, we don't always know why -- just as these disciples turned apostles in today's reading don't really know at this stage why He's sent them alone across the Sea of Galilee, and into such a frightening storm.  But there He is, our answer to all things:  "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."   Perhaps none of us knows what we're being prepared for, especially in the fullness of time and of the eternity beyond, and the fullness of the knowledge of Christ and who we are in His eyes.  If our hearts are hardened to Christ's activity and work, we might never understand.  But we're all becoming, and He is the One who shows us the way, in His plan of salvation for the entire cosmos, for the life of the world.

 

 

 

 

And as many as touched Him were made well

 

 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, having returned from their first apostolic 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 notes that this is the second time Christ permits His disciples to be caught in a storm (see also this reading from chapter 4, for the storm that occurred on their way to the country of the Gadarenes).  That first time, He was with them, asleep in the stern of the boat.  This time, Jesus has remained behind, and was praying on the mountain (see yesterday's reading, above), while He sent the disciples back across the Sea of Galilee, alone.  My study Bible comments that in this way, Christ 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," which is the divine Name of God (see John 8:58, Exodus 3:14).  In this statement, my study Bible asserts, Christ is reminding His fearful disciples of His absolute and divine authority over their lives.  The fourth watch of the night is approximately three o'clock in the morning.

And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.  For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.  My study Bible comments that knowing Christ is a matter of the heart, not simply of the intellect.  When our hearts are illumined by faith in God, they are open to receive His presence and grace.  Let us think carefully about the word "faith."  In the Greek of the New Testament, it is a word that means "trust."  We therefore trust in Christ with our hearts, and this is akin to love, a loving relationship with one who has our best interest in heart.  In the ascetic writings of the Church, my study Bible reminds us, 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. My study Bible comments here that Christ permits miracles through touch to show that His very body is life-giving.  See also the woman with the years-long flow of blood, who touched His garment in faith in Mark 5:25-29.

If we take a look at this term, the land of Gennesaret, the name significantly tells us something which can relate to the text.  In Christ's time, this was an exceptionally fertile plain, producing a great variety of crops for consumption and also wild trees and flowers.  According to the Encyclopedia of the Bible, rabbinical tradition spoke of this plain as "the garden of God: and a "paradise."  Moreover, the first syllable of Gennesaret likely comes from a word that means "gardens," with a name attached.  Some suggest its Hebrew roots may mean "princely gardens."  Whatever the correct etymology of this word, it seems likely that this tremendous flowering of Christ's ministry that happens here gives us a picture of the "garden" of Christ, our Lord.  Because of the great power of His work to heal that is on display, especially because of the faith of those who run to Him, we view the fullness of what His salvation is and means.  Earlier, Jesus spoke of Himself to the Pharisees as a Physician (see this reading from chapter 2).  When confronted by them as to why He sat at table with sinners and tax collectors, He simply replied, ""Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."   Therefore we are to understand that Christ's identity and Physician, and this work of healing -- on all levels -- is central to the understanding of salvation, of the very meaning and purpose of the Incarnation.  If all of this healing takes place in this "princely garden" of God, a sort of paradise on earth, then we are to think of our faith and the work of Christ -- indeed the work of grace through the Holy Spirit -- as that which is healing.  Repentance also is central to this work, because repentance is necessary for change and forward movement in the direction of God.  The New Testament Greek word translated as "repentance" literally means "change of mind," and this change of mind that happens through the help of grace and the work of God, and needs our assent and faith, is a healing work.  It is a healing that affects the soul and all the part of who we are in turn, on all levels.  We read the quotation Jesus gives from Isaiah, when He explains to the disciples why He speaks in parables, and it tells us, "Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed" (Isaiah 6:10, referenced in Matthew 13:14-16).  Our growth in faith, our deepening reconciliation to God through this work of transformation and grace, is indeed the work of healing.  Ultimately it is our souls and spirits which are healed, but this in turn affects body, mind, emotions, and the fullness of life.  For if we are healed in faith, we rest in a kind of love and security that feeds everything else, and we receive the kind of internal healing that knits us together where we are broken, surpassing what a normal physician can do for us.  There is no doubt, in terms of scientific and medical literature, what the effects of stresses are in our lives, and faith goes directly to this level of the heart, the center of our being.  For, as my study Bible points out and the ancient tradition of the Church tells us, the heart is a matter of much more than simply an intellectual decision.  It is a place of noetic discernment and understanding, a deep center within us that links us to the grace of God.  Let us consider the importance of trust and of all of its implications.  When we read about this place of "paradise" and "princely gardens" we should remember in whose garden we wish to be, the great Physician who has what we need for our deepest ailments.   In yesterday's reading, foretelling of the Eucharist, Jesus fed five thousand men -- and more women and children -- in a deserted place, multiplying meager resources.  Let us consider that He us in ways He deems necessary for ongoing healing and growth, nurturing all that we are -- especially the way we experience and see ourselves in this world.  In times which document growing rates of anxiety and depression, the way we find healing is most important, and can have the greatest impact on 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 having returned from their first missionary journey, they 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.  My study Bible remarks that this is the second time Christ permits His disciples to be caught in a storm (see this reading for their previous experience in a storm while crossing the Sea of Galilee).  Let us note that in yesterday's reading (see above), Jesus had sent them across the sea toward Bethsaida, while He went to the mountain to pray.  The first time they were caught in the storm of the sea He was with them.  In today's reading, He has sent them ahead of Him, alone.  In this way, my study Bible explains, Christ strengthens their faith that He will always be with them in the midst of the storms of life.  It is I is literally translated as "I Am," which is the divine Name of God from the Old Testament (see John 8:58, Exodus 3:14).  My study Bible says that in this way, Jesus reminds the fearful disciples of His absolute and divine authority over their lives.  The fourth watch of the night is approximately three o'clock in the morning.

For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.   To know Christ is a matter of the heart, my study Bible comments, and not merely the intellect.  When our hearts are illumined by faith in God, it says, they 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.  My study Bible reminds us that Christ permits miracles through touch in order to show that His very body is life-giving (see also this reading, especially the section on the healing of the woman with the years-long blood flow).

 

The stories about Jesus and His ministry are filled with drama.  The previous time the disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee in the middle of a frightening storm, they found themselves finally coming to rest in a deserted, "lawless" place among tombs, where they met a man possessed by a Legion of demons (in this reading).   But here, the reception is quite different.  They've anchored in a place where Jesus is well-known and immediately recognized.  Here, and apparently in the entire surrounding region of villages, cities, and country, people laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment.  Mark especially seems to give us the "flavor" of this ministry as that which drives the disciples through a enormous and dizzying variety of experiences, all vivid in their own ways.  I don't know if we can imagine what it would be like to be in a boat, rowing, in the middle of a stormy Sea of Galilee at three o'clock in the morning!  That is, of course, unless we've had a similar experience.  I've found myself on a slightly stormy sea in the middle of bright daylight in the summer in the Aegean, on a modern large catamaran with a powerful motor designed for such a trip, and even then I can say the experienced captain was clearly extremely anxious and frightened for what might happen.  In that instance, we docked at the nearest island port until the storm passed.  If we put ourselves in the shoes of the disciples, can we even imagine what this would have been like at 3:00 AM, without modern technological help?  Seeing Christ walking on the water, of course, adds another element to the story!  While there are those who may dismiss out of hand the miraculous elements of the Gospels, I'm not one of them.  Even modern physics posits a multi-dimensional universe, and that particles of energy and matter do not always behave as expected.  I accept Christ's identity in the sense that today's reading teaches us about Him:  as God Incarnate He has a mastery over wind and waves and the forces of nature.  As Mark unfolds the stories of Jesus' ministry, we see revealed to the disciples more and more glimpses or signs of Christ's divinity.  Who can walk on water?  Who can calm the waves and the winds?  Moreover, in today's reading, we catch sight of ourselves, and how we are able to blind ourselves to things we can't quite accept.  It tells us that the disciples' hearts were hardened so that they did not understand about the loaves and the fishes described in yesterday's reading.  How is that possible?  In an era in which we're used to being told explicit news events, "verified" by what we see on television or hear in recordings, in which we are constantly fed evidence of "proof" of something, this might be hard to understand.  A mass acceptance of something seems to make it so (helped along by marketing techniques for the public).  But eye witness experience is different, and our minds work in a particular way to influence what we think we know or see.  Therefore to have a "hardened heart" in Biblical parlance is to be blind to something, either deliberately, or in the case of the disciples, perhaps they are having a hard time accepting all that they are being exposed to about Jesus and what it all implies.  In the tradition of the Church, as explained above in the notes from my study Bible, the heart is a seat of knowledge, and there in the heart is a kind of understanding that doesn't come simply from rational deduction or grasping of material facts.  There is another way to perceive, especially for the perception of things of a spiritual nature and the realities of our dependency upon and communion with God.  It is important to make room for an experiential understanding of faith, for ours is a kind of intimate relationship just as we read the disciples themselves developing with Christ.  This kind of dependency and trust is deepened in the  heart, and realities are grasped especially through a heart that is open to love and understanding, a sympathy that conveys wisdom or knowledge otherwise not known but understood.  This is the real spiritual tradition of the Church, those whom Christ calls capable of grasping faith as a little child, what it is to have a heart open to God.   In the Eastern Christian tradition, those with such a heart are called spiritual elders:  they need not be of any specific age or gender or walk of life.  But they are those with a deep and mature faith, expressed and experienced through such understanding and insight, and they are able to grasp the truth in the hearts of others that isn't necessarily accepted but is nevertheless there.  They are such that others open their hearts to them, and theirs is a humility that is filled with grace which may be easily overlooked by the world.  Our hearts are indeed the key to a deep mystery -- a mystery about who we are, and about God and our relationship to God.  Our hearts also tell a hidden story about what we'd rather not see.   Only God has the real key to our deepest hearts, and Christ is called the "heart-knower" (see Acts 1:24, in which the Greek text literally uses this term).   Just as Jesus can command physical nature, and heal human ailments, so another sign of His divinity is His knowledge of our hearts.  St. Paul writes, "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6).  Let us pay attention to the heart, where such light shines for us.  The disciples see Him walking toward them on the water, but He also speaks to our hearts when we need Him, and says, "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, following their first mission, 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.  For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.   Our reading picks up from where yesterday's left off:  after feeding the five thousand men (and more women and children) in the wilderness, Jesus had sent the disciples to go in a boat before Him across the Sea of Galilee yet again, towards Bethsaida.  Jesus Himself went to the mountain to pray.  So at this time, the disciples are by themselves in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, which is really a very large lake, approximately thirteen miles long and eight miles wide.   The disciples, several of whom are experienced fishermen, are straining at rowing as the wind was against them.  The text tells us that Jesus, alone on the land, saw them.  The fourth watch of the night is about three o'clock in the morning.  This is the second time that Christ has allowed them to be caught in a storm (see also this reading).  My study bible notes that the first time, He was with them (He slept in the stern of the boat); this second time He has left them alone.  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.   Jesus tells the disciples, "It is I," which is literally translated from the Greek, "I Am," and is the divine Name of God (see John 8:58).  My study bible tells us that Christ reminds the fearful disciples of His absolute and divine authority over their lives.  Interestingly the text notes that the disciples had not understood about the multiplication of the loaves (see yesterday's reading, above), because their heart was hardened, meaning they did not perceive the miraculous nature of the feeding, Jesus' divine power at work.  Even the disciples were blinded to the nature of what was happening, despite the things -- such as divine healing -- which they had already seen.  My study bible comments that knowing Christ is a matter of the heart, not simply the intellect.  It says that when our hearts are illumined by faith in God, they are open to receive God's presence and grace.  In the ascetic writings of the Church, the heart is called "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.  We note again Jesus' fame for healing.  He is the hope of the hopeless.  Again, even the hem of His garment is now recognized as healing (see 5:25-29).  My study bible says that Christ allows miracles through touch to show that His very body is life-giving.

What do we make of the phenomenon of Jesus' healing by touch, that even the hem of His garment is life-giving?  My study bible gives us a fundamental understanding of our faith, that His very body is life-giving.  This is a foundational treatment in the understanding of the Eucharist and its benefits for us.  There are many dimensions to the understanding of the Eucharist, and this is one of them.  As we "do this in remembrance" of Him (Luke 22:19), so we accept that this is His body and His blood  (14:22-26).  We accept, and I also ascribe to this aspect of our faith, that Christ is mystically present.  "Mystically present," as I understand it, does not entail some deep detailed explanation of how exactly that happens physically or microscopically or any such thing.  It is what it implies:  an article of faith, a mystical reality that involves far more than we understand or know.  In the sacrament of the Eucharist, as instituted by Christ, He is mystically present, His body and blood.  This is the body and blood which was capable of giving healing by faith and through touch.  It is that which was prefigured in the feeding of five thousand, which we read in yesterday's lectionary reading (above).  Today, in the midst of the coronavirus epidemic, debate rages in the Churches over questions of protection of the population and the distribution of the Eucharist.  State bodies have intervened, and at this present moment, churches are not congregating.  Instead, many are having services without a full congregation present, in which priests do as they have done since the institution of the Church:  they consecrate the sacrament on behalf of all of their flock.  They pray for us.  They are mediators in this sense of acting on our behalf in worship.  And the sacrament goes on, the Eucharist remains for all.  This does not stop.  In some churches (such as the Armenian Apostolic Church), Lent is a time when the sacrament is not taken as the normal practice in the Church.  But we can all look to the story of the disciples as they row their boat against strong headwinds, alone in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, for some guidance and enlightenment in our present circumstances at this time.  Although they are far away from Christ, and feel terribly threatened and afraid in the storm and in the darkest part of the night, they really are not alone.  Christ, alone on the land, still sees them straining at rowing.  He knows about them, although they are not aware that He knows and He sees.  For them, He is far away, and so when He approaches, walking on the water, they suppose that He is a ghost.  But He is not a ghost; He is instead mystically present.  That is, we don't know how His divine power works, we cannot explain it, and we don't have rational explanations based on laws of physics that we know.  But then again, Christ -- although fully human -- is not an average human being.  He is also divine, and therefore spans dimensions of existence in ways we can't know nor understand.  Whether we are first century fishermen, or PhD candidates in modern science, the cosmos, in its entire existence and its fullness, still holds mysteries we can't explain and don't know about.  Let us consider ourselves then, like the apostles, straining at rowing with headwinds against us, in the middle of a giant lake, at three o'clock in the morning.  We don't know that Christ is aware of us, and we certainly can't necessarily perceive Him.  But He knows and He comes to us.  His life-giving Eucharist is served in our churches on our behalf whether we are present there or not.  Let us remember His words to the disciples, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."   Through all things, this divine "I Am" is present with us.   He sees our struggle; He asks our faith, and that we call on Him through prayer, mystical dialogue.  Let us remember that our emphasis now should be on our faith, and how we get through uncertain circumstances.  Keep in mind always that the "mystical" part of our faith is indispensable, and that without it, we don't have a complete grasp of what to be a Christian is all about.  We accept in trust that there are realities we don't yet understand, and we look to a future when possibly we will come to know what we don't see now.  What we do know, however, is that love transcends all realities, from the divine to the deeply worldly.  There is nothing that can stop it, save the hardness of our hearts to turn against its understanding and perception.  Let us read once again from the words of St. Paul:  "Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.  And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:8-13).  It is love through which Christ is sent ("For God so loved the world" - John 3:16).  Jesus tells the disciples, "Do not be afraid."  St. John writes that "perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18).  We put our trust in that love, through all things, even when the winds blow against us, for that is where our faith belongs.  In this time of difficulty, call on that love, count on it, live it, share it as we are motivated to do, and let it give us strength to ride out the storm.   His love is always mystically present.

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."

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 returned from their first mission (see Tuesday's reading), 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 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."   This is the second time in Mark's Gospel that the disciples are allowed by Christ to be caught in a storm (see also this reading from a week ago).  At that first storm on the sea, Christ was with them, asleep in a boat.  But this time, they struggle in the boat in the middle of the sea; and He is alone on the land.  My study bible notes that in this way, Christ strengthens their faith that He will always be with them in the midst of the storms of life.  Of course, this is an example to us of a growing discipleship as Christians, that our faith will be challenged to expand.  It is I is literally "I Am" in the original Greek, which is the divine Name of God (see Exodus 3:14, John 8:58).  My study bible says that Christ reminds the fearful disciples of His absolute and divine authority over their lives.  It also gives us an understanding that whatever is happening, there is an awareness of God to our circumstances.

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.  My study bible comments here that knowing Christ is a matter of the heart, and not merely the intellect.  The heart is the center of who we are, uniting body, soul, and spirit.  If our hearts are illumined by faith in God, my study bible adds, we are open to receive His presence and grace.  In the ascetic writings of the Church, it notes, 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, we witness holy power working through the things of creation.  My study bible says that Christ permits miracles through touch to show that His very body is life-giving.  See also the healing of the woman with the years-long flow of blood, in Monday's reading.

In today's reading, Jesus gives the command, "Do not be afraid."  Literally, this reads "Do not fear."  At the previous occasion of being caught in a storm on the sea, even when Jesus was with them, He asked them two questions:  "Why is it that you are so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  This time, He gives a command.   In the previous reading, He commanded the howling wind and the waves, but here His very presence seems to still the sea, and His command is for His disciples.  Let us note that it is about three o'clock in the morning (corresponding to the fourth watch of the night).  This tells us something about this ministry and their discipleship:  it is a round-the-clock effort.  At 3:00 A.M. the disciples are straining at rowing, crossing the Sea of Galilee.  It is also a time of night when we are susceptible to fears, and in the dark on the sea, in the middle of the storm, we can just imagine how frightening and startling this event might be.  It is a time of vulnerability for human beings the world over, a time when most of us sleep -- and these moreover, are in the middle of a the sea (a very large lake, really), in the middle of a storm.  It is also a time of vulnerability for dreams that disturb us, showing us our fears we may ignore throughout the day.  In such a context, this small fact about this incident, the time of its occurrence, suggests something deeper to us than meets the eye.  It teaches us about the deep things of our own hearts -- that which is necessary for the good, and also those things which trouble us, which we may also keep in our hearts.  Christ's presence as the Lord of the Old Testament, the I AM, is a comforting one.  It is reassuring.  This isn't simply the God who can command bread to come from heaven to feed the Israelites in the wilderness, nor the One who inflicts punishments on Pharoah because he won't allow God's people to go, but this is the personal God who has become a fellow human being so that He may be with us and we may know His very presence as one who is moved with compassion for us (as in yesterday's reading, above), who suffers with us.  Indeed, the Holy Spirit, sent into the world at Pentecost for all of us, is known as the Comforter, and the Counselor.  Along with the command not to fear, Christ's very presence is one that reassures us we are not alone, we are known better than we know ourselves, and those fears and disturbing reminders that may wake us at 3 A.M. are also things to face with prayer and the presence of Christ.  It is this thorough rendering of the heart to faith that He wants, for He is with us in all things, and His presence is closer to us than we  know.  At the Last Supper, Jesus will tell the disciples, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples" (John 15:7-8).  We are to abide in one another, to participate in one another.  Our faith is one of struggle and growth, and bearing fruit as Jesus says, but we don't do it alone.   He asks to be present with us at all times and through all things, and such is the message contained in today's reading.  Let us note that Jesus adds here in this quotation from the Last Supper, ". . . and My words abide in you."   His word is inseparable from His presence, for He is the very Word of God (John 1:1).   St. Paul writes, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).  If we ask how deep Christ is in us, we cannot truly answer that question, for the word of God which is living and powerful may pierce far more deeply than even we are aware of within ourselves.   And there we meet Christ at 3 o'clock in the morning, in our place of deepest fears and vulnerability, where surprising things may come out of us that we didn't know were there, and we must call on Him to meet them with us.  It doesn't matter what the struggle is, for as a disciple, we are to learn that all of life is a struggle for faith, to meet all the moments of our lives and all our experiences with Him present and helping us, and growing in that dependency.  He commands here, "Do not be afraid."  But that command is never without His presence by our side, "It is I" reassuring us that the I AM knows even each hair on our heads.

They had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened

 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, after returning from their first mission, 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.  For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.  The fourth watch of the night is about three o'clock in the morning.  In another recent reading, as they were on a stormy sea, Jesus asked the disciples, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  This time He's left them alone to cross the night sea by themselves, and they struggle against wind.  His assurance gives us to understand His presence with us, and the message that is there, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."   Among the other astonishing things in today's reading, it may be perplexing to readers how the disciples fail to understand the divinity of Christ in the sign of the loaves in yesterday's reading, above.  My study bible tells us that knowing Christ is a matter of the heart -- and not merely the intellect.  When our hearts are illumined by faith in God, it says, then they are open to receive His presence and grace.  In the ascetic writings of the Church, the heart is known as "the seat of knowledge."  It is the center of who we are, where all comes together in our power of comprehension.  A hardened heart is one that is both unfeeling and uncomprehending;  compassion, for example, is also a form of understanding.

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 says that Christ permits miracles through touch in order to show that His very body is life-giving (see also the healing of the woman with the twelve-years blood flow, in this reading).

How do we understand things?  Why is it that the disciples still fail to understand about the loaves?  "Hard-heartedness" is a phrase that teaches us about what it means to truly comprehend, and it also teaches us about how we look at life.  There are a number of ways  in which we are capable of understanding things.  There is the intellect, but there is also compassion.  There is empathy.  There is a kind of emotional understanding.  Above, beyond, and in addition to these, there is a kind of perception of spiritual truth that gives us insight and discernment.  A part of the understanding of the heart involves our capacity to see and dignify the "personhood" of others.  Jesus tells the Pharisees, when they ask about easy divorce available to men under Mosaic Law, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept" (Mark 10:5).  In today's reading, this term is used to describe the disciples' unawareness of the evidence of Jesus' divinity in the sign of the multiplication of the loaves (see yesterday's reading).  There is a level at which faith and the heart intertwine.  Faith is an action of the heart, not only the intellect.  Faith is a key component to comprehension of certain kinds.  Jesus will frequently echo Isaiah (and numerous other Old Testament references) when He says, "For the hearts of this people have grown dull.  Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them" (Matthew 13:15).   In ascetic writings on prayer, the Orthodox tradition teaches that one should pray "with the mind in the heart."  Even modern psychology increasingly tells us that the intellect alone is not enough involvement of the whole person for healing from trauma of many kinds, and the development of new techniques for addressing various types of trauma is an unstoppable trend, with many components and directions evolving from it.   In today's reading, we're told that even Jesus' very body is life-giving; again, even the body stores intelligence and experience, and is a component in psychological healing.  From its inception, the Church has taught that our bodies are inseparable from soul and spirit; the great evil of a "fleshly" perception is precisely that separation, a root of "hard-heartedness."  The heart pulls all of this together, and becomes the place where God's love dwells, where grace is at work.  Those whose faith has given them any form of healing can testify to the depths at which God's love works to reach us when nothing else can.   That Twelve Step programs invoke reliance on a Higher Power is evidence of that.  What all of this signals to us is that the depths at which our faith is at work will open up our understanding of ourselves as human beings -- more importantly, as persons.  We are not merely intellectual beings propelling a body around as a kind of vehicle in the world.  Rather, all of the varied aspects of how we are created, the gifts with which we are endowed, intelligence that works in myriad ways, gives us capacity for perception that teaches us how much more to our own lives and persons there is than a "worldly" perspective may allow for. This center of a person that pulls all of those things together is what is called the heart in Scripture.  It is, perhaps most tellingly, the place where relationship and relatedness is truly centered -- which is why the heart is a place of prayer and desire.  The heart is also a place where we may nurture evil things that ally us with what is not good.  Jesus also teaches that "out of the heart come evil thoughts--murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander" (Matthew 15:19).  John's Gospel tells us that Jesus had many followers in response to particular signs in His ministry, but that "Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people" (John 2:24).  In fact, Jesus perceives what is in the heart without having to be told about it.  He is called the "heart-knower" in Acts 15:8, which uses a particular Greek word that encapsulates the concept (καρδιογνώστης).  All of this is to teach us that if we fail to involve the whole of ourselves in our faith, we are missing out on perception and intelligence.  If we fail to nurture our heart or to guard it properly, or to be aware of what we can hold onto that is not good for us, then we aren't guarding our true spiritual, emotional, mental, and intellectual health.  We might be blindsided in life by our attachments and prejudices, or the things we dwell upon which skew our proper perception and thinking, and take us away from good direction in life.  Let us think about the heart, and what it means to know the true center of ourselves.  The journey of faith is always right there as we move forward into its depths.

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.