Mark 6:45-52 Walking on Water

There are so many elements of the Gospel that speak to us about the Divinity of Christ Jesus.  The last two lines of today are most striking.  In regard to those who followed Jesus, namely the Apostles and other disciples it says, "They had not understood the incident of the loaves.  On the contrary, their hearts were hardened."  Why were their hearts hardened?  They had witnessed a miracle in the feeding of so many thousand people after being afraid it would cost them too much to feed the people, yet they did with just five loaves and two fish.  Now they witnessed Jesus come down from the mountain and walk across the water to them when they are fearful in turbulent waves and calm them and the waves down.  Again, why were they hardened against him?

Both today's Gospel and its paired reading, (1 John 4:11-18) challenge us to consider the meaning of love and fear.  Love and fear seem to go hand in hand.  John reminds us today, "Beloved, if God so loves us, we also must love one another.  No one has ever seen God.  Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us." Have we considered how vulnerable we must make ourselves to allow ourselves to love and be loved?  In order to reciprocate love shown to us we must make ourselves open to being hurt rejected by the one that we share our intimate selves with whether it is a spouse, a friend, a brother, a sister, or a parent.  Perhaps it is also a fear of losing those we love and so we hide ourselves away from that pain and them so that we don't have to suffer.  It is that intimacy of love that connects us and binds us. 

In the Gospel the disciples are fearful as God approaches. God is love. They also fear love.  It was fear that led Peter to deny Jesus, led the disciples to flee at the crucifixion, and it is that same fear that can make it difficult for us to remain in the love, in God.  John assures, "There is no fear in love, put perfect fear drives out fear."  May we continue to try to love perfectly and so remain in God.

Matthew 15:29-37

In today's reading Jesus goes up the mountain where those who are poor in spirit, those who are outcasts such as the blind, the lame, mute, etc. have come for healing.  Jesus is touched and says, "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat.  I do not want to send them away hungry."  Jesus then takes seven loaves and five fish, blesses them and the feed the crowds with seven baskets left over. 

Jesus first goes to the mountain.  Mountains have been used as a meeting place with God throughout history.  Jesus is man yes, but also the Christ, the door keeper who ushers us through the door to God, so we find it appropriate that he is gathered with those who are humbled, meek, and the poor in spirit.  He consoles them, he forgives them their sins, and heals them.  Are they just healed in body?  No, Christ heals the soul, the spirit, too.  As we read today's Gospel we are called to that mountain too, to be healed and made whole, to be purified and ready to meet God. 

Ask yourself, What do I need healing in my life?  Is there something physically wrong with me, or does it mask a deeper pain?  Is there something that I can find healing through in an Anointing of the Sick or through the Sacrament of Reconciliation?  In both there is great healing if we are open to it.  Perhaps this can be part of our Advent journey?