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.
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This is the first time that the disciples are without Jesus. And what happens?
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Disaster strikes!
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While they’re on a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee, a major storm approaches – one so large it causes these professional fishermen to fear they’re drowning!
Meanwhile, Jesus tries passing them by, walking calmly across the waters. What terrifies the disciples doesn’t disturb him at all.
Was this a test?
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Absolutely.
The disciples just watched Jesus feed five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. If he can perform a miracle like that, then why should they fear for their safety now?
Shouldn’t they trust that Jesus will protect them?
We’d casually say, “Of course.”
And yet, as the Gospel tells us, “their hearts were hardened.”
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Just like the disciples, Jesus allows our faith to be tested.
But when we feel like we’re drowning, overwhelmed by the waves of doubt, debt, grief, or COVID fatigue, we must be patient and guard against the temptation of hardening our hearts.
Jesus is somewhere nearby, walking across the stormy waters, preparing to enter our boat.
Until the storm is calmed, we must be patient and cling to his words, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid.”
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Image credits: (1) The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt (2) Christ Walking on the Water, Cornerstone Art (3) Havenlight Yong Sung Kim – The Hand of God Painting, Amazon
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.
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Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, whose feast day we celebrate today, is the first American-born Saint.
Born into a wealthy Episcopal family in New York City, her life was a series of ups and downs, of heartache and hope.
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Her mom died when she was three. Her younger sister died a year later.
She was married at the age of 19, but became a penniless widow with five children to raise by the age of 28.
Once filled with fortune and promise, Elizabeth’s life seemed to have reached a dead end.
But she knew that God wasn’t finished with her just yet.
Shortly after the death of her husband, she made a leap of faith, converting to Catholicism and becoming a nun. This decision led to a series of firsts.
She established the first American convent for nuns, the first Catholic school, and the first Catholic orphanage in the United States. She also became the namesake of my alma mater, Seton Hall University.
One act of faith led to another…and another….and another. By the end of her life, she changed thousands of lives for the better.
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So, what can Elizabeth Ann Seton teach us today?
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God always has a plan for our lives. Think of Elizabeth when she was penniless with five children at the age of 28. She had nothing – but she turned to Jesus.
That decision led to life in abundance.
The same can be true for us. When one door closes, another one can open. But sometimes a leap of faith is needed.
As the old saying goes, “Leap and the net will appear.”
God will never let us down.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for us.
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Image credits: (1) Allegro Design (2) Catholic Online, Elizabeth Ann Seton (3) Family Tree Acupuncture
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Growing up, there was a TV show I used to watch called, “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”
(I still wonder why I watched it; it spooked me every time. I guess it was a function of being an innately curious child.)
Each episode began with kids sitting around a campfire at night. One of them would put a flashlight in front of their face and begin to tell a scary story.
The stories always took place at night with an evil character at work.
For example, one episode was called The Tale of the Night Nurse. In the story, a group of kids get locked inside a hospital overnight, while a ghost haunts them!
Do they survive?
I won’t say.
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Today’s Gospel sounds just like an episode of “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”
There’s an evil character, King Herod, who wants to kill the baby Jesus. Meanwhile, the magi want to worship him. If they’re going to find him, then the magi must travel in the darkness…into the night.
We might ask them, “Are you afraid of the dark?”
(…Dun…dun…dun…)
As they begin their tedious journey, the magi must be aware of several things: the possibility of heavy storms, robbers hiding in the hills, wild animals lurking in the bushes, and many months, perhaps a year or longer, on the road.
This will not be a journey for the faint of heart. In many ways, their lives are at stake.
There’s also the added shade of political darkness: King Herod has issued a death warrant for Jesus because Herod will do anything to remain in power.
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This is an important theme of the Epiphany, which we celebrate today: Christ entered into a darkened world.
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We gather this Sunday morning all too aware of the darkness and uncertainty that still lingers among us.
Some Christians live like the magi, under the constant threat of political persecution for their belief in Jesus.
Meanwhile, the spread of Omicron has sparked renewed fears among many, leaving us questioning, “When will this pandemic end?”
There’s also the drama some families experienced over the holidays, when Christmas dinner turned into more of a feud than a feast.
Others carry burdens silently: grief from losing a loved one, social anxiety, cancer, financial or marital trouble, and so on.
Our journeys are not too different from the magi that first Christmas. At times, we, too, journey through uncertainty. We, too, journey through the night.
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But something happened to the magi that transformed their experience of the darkness. They were comforted by the light of a star, leading them to the child Jesus.
That star assured them that there was Someone else working in the night. In spite of King Herod and the other dangers they faced, God was with them.
God was for them.
This is what we celebrate at Christmas: the fact that, in every time and place, God is with us. God is for us.
God also works in the night.
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This is where our stories differ from the life of Herod, and from that show I watched as a kid, “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”
Like the magi, at times we pass through periods of uncertainty, but the magi embolden us not to be afraid.
We have Jesus – Emmanuel – meaning, “God is with us. God is for us.”
As we begin another year, may we proceed in peace knowing a star will guide our steps.
