A 40-DAY JOURNEY WITH THE KING: Lenten reflections from Mark’s Gospel (18)

 

“…when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Then he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.” (Mark 6.49-52)

     The 12 apostles are now put through a series of tests.  When Jesus chose them from among his numerous disciples/followers, it was in order to delegate his authority to them, an authority that was expressed primarily by proclaiming the kingdom of God and casting out demons (cf. 3.13-15; 6.7, 12-13).  We have already seen how the apostles struggle with the temptation to act out of fear rather than out of faith in the power that Jesus has entrusted to them.  After Jesus had calmed the storm on the Sea, he asked them: “Why are you afraid?  Have you still no faith?” (4.40).  Jesus seems to be calling them to a deeper dimension of faith – perhaps they could have ordered the wind and the sea to be still?  In any case, Jesus seems disappointed at how slow his apprentices are to “test their strength” and to avail themselves of the authority that he has delegated to them.

     Following his rejection in Nazareth (6.1-6), Jesus sends the Twelve on a mission.  They go out two-by-two and have considerable success in issuing a call to repentance, casting out demons and healing the sick (6.7-13).  The Twelve return and excitedly begin to relate their experiences to Jesus; however, once again, the ever-present crowd prevents them having a debriefing session with their Master: “…they had no leisure even to eat” (6.30-31; cf. 3.20).  Though Jesus attempts to take the apostles to a deserted place so they can rest, the crowd refuses to leave Jesus alone and walk around the lake to the place where Jesus and the Twelve are sailing.  When Jesus steps off the boat, the crowd is ready and waiting (6.34; cf. 2.13; 3.7; 4.1; 5.21).  Jesus begins “to teach them many things”; the teaching session carries on until “the hour is very late” (6.35).  The disciples are concerned and fear that the crowds are going to go hungry, so they ask Jesus to send them away into the surrounding towns so they can buy food (6.35-36).  Let’s not forget that when Jesus sent out the apostles two-by-two, he had instructed them to take “no bread” with them, but to depend on people’s hospitality (cf. 6.9-10).  Let’s recall that the reason that Jesus and the apostles were seeking a “deserted place” was precisely because the crowds would not allow them the “leisure even to eat” (6.31).  Now, at the end of an exhausting day, everyone – the crowds, the disciples and Jesus – is hungry.  It is time for a test.

     “You give them something to eat” (6.37; cf. 5.43).  The master is offering his apprentices an opportunity to continue to exercise the faith that they had used to such great effect during their mission.  However, all the apostles can see is the enormity of the crowd; all they can feel are the pangs of hunger in their own stomachs.  They ask incredulously, “Do you really expect us to spend all we have on bread and attempt to feed this crowd of thousands?” (6.37; 6.44).  Jesus disregards their question and asks, “How many loaves of bread do you have?”  The answer comes back, “Five, and two fish” (6.38).  Jesus proceeds to multiply the loaves and the fish and “all ate and were filled” (6.42).  What is more, the apostles gather up twelve baskets full of scraps (6.43).  Twelve apostles, twelve baskets full of food.  Jesus gives the apostles what they were afraid to ask for (in faith).

     Jesus sends the disciples across the lake in the boat while he (finally) dismisses the crowd.  Afterwards, he “went up on the mountain to pray” (6.45-46).  The apostles struggle “against an adverse wind” throughout the night as they attempt to reach the opposite shore (6.48).  Jesus walks across the Sea of Galilee.  The disciples see him walking on the water and cry out in fear, believing him to be a disembodied spirit (6.49).  Jesus speaks to them: “Take heart, ‘I am’; do not be afraid” (6.50).  Jesus climbs into the boat and the wind ceases.  The apostles are “utterly astounded”, Mark tells us, because they “did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (6.51-52).  Once again, following a day of teaching, the apostles find themselves in a boat on the lake (cf. 4.1-41).  Once again, they are full of fear as they attempt to cross to the other side.  Yet again, Jesus calms the wind, instructs the twelve not to fear and once again, they are amazed and astounded.  Naturally, once they reach the shore, there will be people waiting to be healed (6.53-56; cf. 5.1-20).  Will the apostles ever understand who Jesus is and just how capable they can be if they use their faith to overcome their fear?