Word to the Wise
Wednesday, January 6, 2016 - 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]
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016 WEDNESDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
[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]
Two separate "agendas" are at work in the gospel scripture for today. One is the agenda of the liturgical year and the other is the agenda of the evangelist. They overlap to some extent. The agenda of the liturgical year is to tell the story of Jesus in various ways consistent with traditional celebrations: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost. Since we are still celebrating the Christmas/Epiphany season (it ends this next Sunday with the Baptism of the Lord), the selection of scriptures focuses on "epiphanic" moments (moments of revelation of Jesus' identity). Yesterday the gospel from Mark related the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. Today, that same passage continues with the story of Jesus walking on water. Both incidents reveal Jesus' power.
The second agenda is the agenda of the Gospel of Mark, and that is revealed in the quotation above. Despite the multiplication of loaves and fishes and walking on water, the disciples simply could not make sense of Jesus. This is a continuing theme throughout the Gospel of Mark. It would only be the cross and resurrection that would bring them to belief. Miracles were not enough. A dead wonder-worker is not the Lord. It is the crucified and risen Lord that makes sense of all the other signs in his ministry.
The disciples in Mark are not simply dense historical figures. They represent all disciples. The matter of faith in Jesus is not established by miracles but by his suffering, death and resurrection. If our agenda is fixed on the miraculous, we are missing the point. AMEN