Wednesday, January 7, 2026 - Wednesday after Epiphany, or Jan. 9
[1 John 4:11-18 and Mark 6:45-52]
"Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!" He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were completely astounded. They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened. [Mark]
JANUARY 7 ST. RAYMOND OF PENYAFORT, O.P.
The story of Jesus walking on the water follows the story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes in the Gospel According to Mark. Both stories are intended to illustrate a principal theme of this gospel. Jesus is not defined by his deeds of power, but by his death on the cross! For this reason, the disciples, throughout this gospel, appear to be completely clueless as to the true identity of Jesus. They will only understand when he is crucified and risen.
Jesus' miracles were important features of his ministry of love and compassion but he himself could be exasperated by continual requests for "signs" to prove his "authority." These acts cannot be separated from the events of Holy Week. The miracles are meant to be understood in the light of Holy Week. His ultimate act of love is his death on the cross and resurrection from the tomb. In the Gospel According to John [14:12], he promises the disciples that they will do "greater works" than the ones he performed because of his return to his Father! The stories in the "infancy narratives" of Matthew and Luke contain hints of the cross. Scripture scholars tell us that those stories were written last, so the challenge, strange as it may seem, is to read the gospels in reverse to understand who Jesus truly is! AMEN
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