Jesus miraculously appears and saves the Apostles from drowning on the Sea of Galilee. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by seeking the Gift of Wisdom from the Holy Spirit so he can more frequently experience the Presence of Jesus in his daily life and by seeking the Gift of Counsel so he can become a master of the passions.
Liturgy
2nd Week of Easter – Saturday – Jn 6:16-21
Commentary
After The Feeding of the 5000, the crowd seeks to make Jesus their king (Jn 6:15) but He dismisses them, sends the Apostles in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee, and goes into the hills by Himself to pray. Now, Jesus continues to form the Apostles through a traumatic trial by storm.
In the evening, after Jesus dismisses the Apostles, and they set off on the sea by boat, He goes up into the hills to pray. As darkness falls, a sudden strong wind howls and the sea becomes violent, leaving the Apostles floundering. Despite being seasoned fishermen, the Apostles are in great distress (literally, “tortured”) as they are tossed about by the violent waves and wind (Mt 14:24).
They are 3-4 miles out into the stormy sea and suddenly see Jesus walking on the sea, a strange and miraculous sighting, given the darkness of the stormy night. Forgetting Jesus’ earlier calming of the storm (Mt 8:23-27), the Apostles scream out in fear, believing Him to be a ghost (Mt 14:26); Jesus, in a preview of the Transfiguration, is supernaturally illuminated, visible among the dark violent waves. Jesus’ rebuke is mysteriously heard over the howl of the wind: “It is I (I AM), do not be afraid.” The Apostles’ fear and desperation becomes gladness as Jesus gets into the boat; mysteriously the boat immediately reaches shore.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Be stunned by the Divine Power and the human Strength and Stamina of Jesus portrayed in this passage: after laboring for a long day, performing a spectacular miracle, and walking in the hills, He travels 3-4 miles in the middle of the night, walking on tumultuous waves, and mysteriously locates the Apostles in the dark during a raging storm; He is strangely illuminated in the darkness so that the Apostles see him and are terrified by His appearance; He mysteriously transports the large boat, filled with the Apostles, immediately to the shore.
Experience the Presence of Jesus in daily life
Realize: When Jesus comforted the Apostles as the storm raged on the Sea of Galilee by saying, “I AM”, He was proclaiming His divine Presence and identity as the Son of God to comfort the Apostles, for by saying “I AM”, Jesus deliberately uses the exact words God used to reveal His Presence and identity and Presence to Moses in the Burning Bush (Ex 3:14); like the Apostles, every Catholic man can have the fears of his life turn to joy by the great “I AM.”
Believe: Reflect upon the astounding blessing of God’s gift of His Son (CCC 65-66).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me the Gift of Wisdom so I see the world through the eyes of Christ and experience the love, peace, happiness, protection and guidance from His Divine Presence each day of my life as I proceed on the path of holiness.
Become a master of the passions
Realize: While fear is an important gift from God to help men survive, like all passions, fear can spur men to grow in virtue (to take heroic action) or seduce them to fall into vice (effeminacy, cowardice, despair, inaction); every Catholic man is called into the life-long Spiritual Combat to use his passions to avoid sin and to heroically serve Christ.
Believe: Review the Catechism’s teaching on the Morality of the Passions (CCC 1762-1774).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me the Gift of Counsel so I am guided by You to harness and use the my passions to avoid vice and grow in virtue to better serve Your Holy Catholic Church.