Hey all,
This is my reflection for today - Saturday Easter 2 according to the Catholic lectionary.Again - I hope we all respect each other's ways of knowing Jesus.
This again is just from the heart in relation to the reading. There is no scholarship here.
On my site it's here: Daily Bible Verses Easter Season To Pentecost | Saturday Week 2 | The Miracle Of Jesus Walking On The Water – Listen To the Bible! | King James Audio Bible | KJV | King James Version
The reading goes like this - and put a YouTube for a psalm at the end:
John 6: 16-21 Audio Bible KJV | King James Audio Bible | Daily Verses
16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.
20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.
21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.
John’s account of the miracle of Jesus walking on the water differs in some significant ways from the accounts given in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. The context is the same, the miracle of the loaves and fishes has taken place, and the disciples are crossing the Sea of Galilee, while Jesus has remained on shore, going into the hills to pray alone. We understand, as well, in each of the Gospel accounts, the symbolic meaning of the disciples being alone and troubled on the waters, to which situation the Lord comes to help them.
Darkness has fallen and the disciples have rowed some distance. The wind has risen and the disciples must have been concerned for their safety. Mark tells us specifically that the disciples are distressed. They are far from the safety of the shore and their situation is truly difficult.
Christian tradition has long seen the boat as symbolizing the Church, established by Christ and then bound to contend with troubles, persecutions, temptations, which test the faithful. Through faith, we are enabled by Christ to remain firm to his purpose. It is, though, very easy to falter in faith when troubled waters rise up against us.
The faith of the disciples is not yet perfect. They have a long journey of faith ahead of them, which will carry them through Easter and then beyond. It is understandable. The disciples do not yet see Jesus’ miracles as a sign of his divinity. The reality of Jesus transcends all they could have known or expected. The Good News is in every sense new!
Jesus is loving and patient with his disciples. There will be further signs and miracles to strengthen, to enable, their faith and their knowledge of the reality of Jesus, and further teachings to enable the disciples to carry the message of salvation to all men. In these Bible verses, this is symbolized by Jesus coming to them, walking on the water. Where there is trouble, Christ can simply walk over it. Such is our faith. And when we may be, as the disciples are, frightened by the seemingly impossible approach of our Lord, he will reassure us and help us to accept his presence, and the miracles he is ready to perform in our lives. We may consider this as we confess our sins.
In John’s Gospel, it is when the disciples recognize Jesus that they immediately experience great relief and welcome him into their boat. The Lord is with them. And, immediately, their boat has reached the other shore.
Compare with these verses of John’s Gospel, Matthew’s account of the miracle of Jesus walking on the water (Matthew 14: 22-33) and also Mark’s (Mark 6: 45-52).
‘The Lord allowed his disciples to enter danger to make them suffer, and he did not immediately come to their aid; he left them in peril for the whole night, to teach them to be patient and not to be accustomed to receiving immediate succour in tribulation.’ Theophylact