Author: admin

***

Gospel: Luke 4: 14-22

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region. 
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day. 
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. 
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
        to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
    and recovery of sight to the blind,
        to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. 
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” 
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. 

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

Today’s Gospel describes the very beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. 

For the next, and final, three years of his life – some 1,000 days – he will perform miracle after miracle, healing the sick, casting out demons, and forgiving those caught in sin.

His entire life and mission can be summarized in three words: 

Jesus lifted burdens.

***

In his name, so should we.

***

Recently, for example, I spoke with a group of first and second graders who are just starting to learn about Christianity. So, I asked them a simple question, “How do you help other students?” 

One said, “I pick up his pencil when it falls.” Another, “I help her spell long words.” And another, “She makes me feel better when I’m sad.”

Even in first or second grade, children have their share of burdens – a dropped pencil, trouble with spelling, a bad morning at home – but they know they can look to a friend to lift their burden.

As we age, the weight might become a bit heavier, but the principle remains the same: we all have the power – and responsibility – of helping those in need.

***

By day’s end, I hope we can all say in honor of our Lord:

We lifted burdens.

***

***

Image credits: (1) Adobe Stock (2) Freepik (3) KFUO Radio

***

Gospel: Mark 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.

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

Have you ever wondered what Jesus was praying about while the disciples were being tossed about at sea?

***

Perhaps that their faith would not fail.

*** 

This was clearly a test. 

It is the first time the disciples are without Jesus since his public ministry began. Previously, every moment with him was a consolation; their spirits were filled with awe and wonder.

They witnessed him cast out demons, heal Peter’s mother-in-law, cleanse a leper, multiply five loaves and two fish, forgive people’s sins, and preach to thousands.

All of a sudden, the disciples are without him, stuck in a storm so strong they fear they’re drowning! I’m sure they were on the brink of despair.

Their previous cries for help seemingly went unheard, leaving them feeling like they had to rely upon their own strength and skill to navigate the stormy waters.

Once the disciples reach their wits end, Jesus appears, gets into their boat and calms the storm. Yet, as Mark tells us, “their hearts were hardened.”

Soaked and scared, I’m sure Peter and the others had an unhealthy thought or two about their wonder-worker companion who almost let them drown.

***

So, what is it that Jesus was hoping the disciples would learn?

***

In spite of the darkness, the hardship, or even the flat our terror, the Lord would never abandon them. 

In the words of the prophet Isaiah: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; through rivers, you shall not be swept away. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, nor will flames consume you. For I, the LORD, am your God” (Isaiah 43:1-3).

So it is with us.

At times, we can find ourselves up to our neck in stress or in trial, but the Lord continues to intercede for us, that we would stay calm and trust.

Eventually, every storm will be stilled, every tear will be dried. Though the flood waters may reach high, we shall not be overcome.

Learning to be at peace in such circumstances is not easy, but the Lord reminds us today, “Do not be afraid. I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

***

***

Image credits: (1) The Storm at Sea, Rembrandt (2) Christ in Gethsemane, Heinrich Hofmann (3) Medium

***

Gospel: Mark 6: 34-44

When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already very late.
Dismiss them so that they can go
to the surrounding farms and villages
and buy themselves something to eat.”
He said to them in reply,
“Give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food
and give it to them to eat?”
He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?  Go and see.”
And when they had found out they said,
“Five loaves and two fish.”
So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass.
The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties.
Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples
to set before the people;
he also divided the two fish among them all.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments
and what was left of the fish.
Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

A young girl was walking with her father along a beach the morning after a terrible storm blew through, leaving thousands of starfish strewn across the sand.

Suddenly, the girl let go of her father’s hand, walked to the water’s edge and began tossing the starfish back into the sea, one by one. 

After several minutes, the father walked over to her and said, “Okay, sweetie, it’s time to go home.”

“But dad,” she said, “all of these starfish will die if we leave them here in the sun!”

“You can’t save them all,” he said. “Saving a few won’t make much of a difference.”

The girl, looking saddened, stood still for a moment. Then she bent over, picked up a starfish, tossed it back into the sea, and said:

“Well, for that one, I just made ALL the difference!”

***

Sometimes when we see the big picture, we can get overwhelmed.

A beach strewn with starfish; a single priest ministering to thousands; a couple bringing home newborn twins; a loved one struggling with mental health; a spouse diagnosed with a terminal illness; an unrelenting job; a parish in need of renewal; a world tainted by war.

Or, in today’s Gospel, a massive crowd with seemingly no food and empty stomachs.

“Dismiss them,” the disciples say to Jesus. Let them fend for themselves. 

Like that father seeing a beach covered in starfish, the disciples feel helpless. So, Jesus teaches them about the power of one, commanding them to share what little food they have tucked inside their pockets with a neighbor.

Ready or not, dinner will be served.

Somehow, by sunset everyone is fed. There is even food left over!

***

So, what might this mean for us?

Whenever we feel overwhelmed, either by our own circumstances or by the world at large, remember the power of one.

Save a starfish. Break open a loaf. Do what you can, leave the rest to God. Somehow, it’s always enough.

***

***

Image credits: (1) Heralds of the Gospel Magazine (2) LinkedIn (3) The Starfish Foundation