December 8, 2015

John, Chapter 6, verse 19-20:

¹⁹ When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid ²⁰ but he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.”

After rowing three or four miles they must have been exhausted and there must have been no wind, for surely any sailor would have used the wind if it was blowing. The conditions on the sea that night had to have been unnerving. There must have been some light from the moon as they had seen our Lord nevertheless they were afraid.  Then He said, “It is I” or literally “I AM” which was the name of God; which no pious Jew was allow to even say!

I wonder if they were thinking of the words of the Torah, “The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.” (Genesis 4:2) When they had seen and heard Christ.  They must have known at that point that here was the messiah because they believed. Immediately they arrived on shore and Christ spoke on the “Bread of Life” discourse stating ”Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” (John 6:54).

 

At this saying all but these 12 walked away because they believed!

We too are like the Apostles in that boat, the boat which we call the Holy Catholic Church.  Let us resolve like the Apostles to believe, follow the precepts of our church and row three or four miles if we must.