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S
ATURDAY
IN
THE
O
CTAVE OF
E
ASTER
Acts of the Apostles 6:1-7
Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19
John 6:16-21
S
UMMARY
All three readings today focus the virtues of faith and trust in God
and the evangelization of the early church.
Acts 6:1-7
describes
concerns affecting the Hellenists - Jews who adopted Greek cus-
toms, language and culture. The “Twelve” decided to
“appoint
seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom”
to the task
of serving at table (Mass). These men were the first ordained
priests -
the Apostles laid hands on them
- in the church. “The
Word” continued to spread throughout the ends of the earth.
Psalms 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19
speaks to us of
“God’s mercy when we place our trust in Him”.
John 6: 16-21
tells how, follow-
ing the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, the disciples set sail alone at night, without
Jesus, to the far side of the Sea of Galilee and a fierce windstorm came up endangering them
all. In the darkness the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water and they were frightened,
thinking they were seeing a spirit. But Jesus told them not to be afraid so they were reassured.
He calmed the storm and immediately they were safely on dry land.
R
EFLECTION
What does this mean to us today? “Water is the principal Johannine image” affirms Benedict
XIV
in his book
Jesus of Nazareth
. “Water is the primordial element of life and is therefore also
one of the primordial symbols of humanity” and the “sea is a power that evokes admiration; its
majesty calls forth amazement”. In John’s Gospel, water is a dominant theme beginning in with
Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus -
you must be born again of water and the spirit
(chapter
3), the woman at the well (chapter 4), the healing of the man born blind who Jesus instructed
to wash in the Pool of Siloam (chapter 9), and the washing of the disciples feet at the last sup-
per (chapter 13).
Today we read that after the feeding of the multitudes (Jn 6: 1-15) the disciples finished their
work and it was time for them to go home. Jesus was up on the mountain praying alone. It was
evening and “
the darkness of night was closing in on them”
. They got into their boat “
without
Jesus”
and set sail across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum. The sea became rough with danger-
ous threatening waves which could capsize their boat. The disciples were fishermen so they
knew danger could happen in an instant.
They “
desperately rowed about 3-4miles but could not reach safety”.
The disciples were in
mortal danger and anxiously cried for help. Jesus heard their cries and came to them on the
water. When the disciples
“saw Jesus miraculously walking on the water they were afraid not
recognizing him in the dark, on the stormy water. Jesus told them who he was and not to be
frightened”
. Suddenly and immediately they were safely on dry land.