Boat Chapel, Magdala, Sea of Galilee
Mark 6:45-52
A few years ago we went on a summer vacation along with our daughter, son-in-law and 2 grandsons. Early one morning we chartered a boat to go fishing on Lake Michigan. Our daughter had never had the experience before and it turned out to be quite the adventure. It was not a calm lake that morning; it was really rough and choppy and the boat really rocked from side to side. By the time it was Jaime’s turn to grab the rod and reel in a fish, she had turned a lovely shade of green. We kept insisting that we would take the rod and she could go and sit down. But she utterly refused; she was determined to bring in that fish. And she did! In spite of being very sea-sick, she did! That was not a time for the weak of stomach!
The Gospel today tells of another rough time on the water, on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus has just fed the 5,000 with loaves and fish. And He has sent the disciples on ahead across the Sea. We have been blessed to have taken a boat on the Sea of Galilee 3 times; every time it was calm and the water was like glass. But the Sea has a reputation for storms quickly appearing. And that is what happens here. And when Jesus sees that they are in trouble, He walks on the water to them and calms the sea and the disciples – do not be afraid!
You would think the disciples would marvel and express their wonder at all this. And yet the Gospel says “their hearts were hardened.” After the miracle of the loaves and fishes, after calming the storm and walking on water, their reaction seems to be a refusal to believe! They aren’t joyful or grateful; they are terrified, not sure what to make of what is happening!
These days it is easy to fall into a state of worry and anxiety, fear and uncertainty. As the numbers for positive Covid tests continue to skyrocket, not to mention hospitalizations, it is very difficult to maintain any sort of optimism. Even when something good, for a change, happens, we seem reluctant to crack a smile or breathe a sigh of relief. In the end, God asks one thing of us – trust Him! Good or bad, happy or sad, trust Him. Someone once said that we are all in the same boat. I beg to differ! We are all in the same storm! But we are all in a different boat, dealing with our own concerns and issues. Trust in the Lord! Be confident that He has the power to calm our storms and to give us the strength to weather the rough seas.