Gospel reading and reflection: January 8, 2013

"They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened." God likes to talk to us in riddles. He reveals himself in things that are beyond ordinary, even magical. Most of the time people find it hard to believe. They want truths that aren’t too difficult to understand. They want visions that aren't too scary to behold.

God’s love is shown to us in many different forms, most of them we tend to ignore because we are too busy surviving, too busy solving problems, too busy hating others, too busy looking at how others live their lives. But yes, I too, am guilty of this. There were times in my life when I find it really hard to think about things to be thankful for. And thinking about the sunshine and the flowers that bloom around me makes me feel insulted. It’s like telling God, “Oh come on, you know that’s not what I mean!” Sometimes when we are in the present pain, or in dire need of something to survive, it really is difficult to be thankful for the things that money cannot buy. But come to think of it, isn’t that the very reason why we are privileged to be still alive? Salvation. Mercy. Love. These things that cannot be bought, these things actually keep us alive. These are the miracles of God’s love that we almost deliberately choose to ignore because we want so much more. We want the storm to be still RIGHT NOW, not a frightening Jesus walking on water.

Lord, help us to see you beyond the things that we can only comprehend. Help us to be calm in the midst of the storm and understand the meaning of our visions, the  meaning of your signs.  Help us to understand your love and why you do. 

Wednesday after Epiphany 
Lectionary: 214

Reading 11 JN 4:11-18

Beloved, if God so loved 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.

This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us,
that he has given us of his Spirit.
Moreover, we have seen and testify
that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God remains in him and he in God.
We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.

God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.
In this is love brought to perfection among us,
that we have confidence on the day of judgment
because as he is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love,
but perfect love drives out fear
because fear has to do with punishment,
and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.

Responsorial Psalm PS 72:1-2, 10, 12-13

R. (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Gospel MK 6:45-52

After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied,
Jesus made his disciples get into the boat
and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida,
while he dismissed the crowd.
And when he had taken leave of them,
he went off to the mountain to pray.
When it was evening,
the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore.
Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing,
for the wind was against them.
About the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
He meant to pass by them.
But when they saw him walking on the sea,
they thought it was a ghost and cried out.
They had all seen him and were terrified.
But at once he spoke with them,
“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.