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Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: John 6:16-21

In today’s Gospel passage, the disciples are rowing to Capernaum after having had a long day. They had witnessed the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes, and any mom who has fed a houseful of people can envision how long it must have taken to feed thousands. While on their journey across the sea (without Jesus, who had stayed behind to pray), the wind whips up. In the dark, they row for “three or four miles.” It doesn’t take much imagination to deduce that rowing three or four miles in high winds in the dark must be taxing to both body and mind.

Suddenly, they see a figure coming toward them--walking on the water. We find out from other Gospel writers who record the same incident that the disciples were afraid because they thought they were seeing a ghost.

In short, in the midst of their effort and exhaustion, they were not expecting Jesus to show up. After having just witnessed a phenomenal miracle involving divine manipulation of physical matter, the disciples thought it was more likely that a ghost was haunting the sea than that Jesus was coming to them in a way that involved divine manipulation of physical matter.

Why was this? Was it that they thought walking on water was outside His power, or could it be that they didn’t believe Jesus cared enough to show up? Since they had just seen Him supersede physical laws, it seems likely it was the latter. They didn’t expect Him to come because they didn’t believe He loved them enough to do so.

Oh, we disciples of little faith! How many times in my own life--especially when I’m exhausted and struggling to stay afloat--do I not expect Jesus to show up? How often do I doubt God’s love for me personally? How often do I think miracles are beyond Jesus’ power because it would involve a physical “impossibility?" In the times of your life when you are rowing in the dark and getting nowhere, when the wind beats you in the face, look around. Jesus will seek you. He says, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” Take Him into your boat.

 

Ponder:

 

Do I believe Jesus loves me enough to seek me out, especially when I am struggling?

 

Pray:


Jesus, my love, grant me the grace to trust in Your love for me.

 

Click to tweet:
In the times of your life when you are rowing in the dark and getting nowhere, when the wind beats you in the face, look around. Jesus will seek you. #dailygospel

Daily Gospel 2

 

Copyright 2022 Amanda Woodiel

About the Author

Amanda Woodiel

Amanda Woodiel

Amanda Woodiel is a Catholic convert, a mother to five children ages 14 to 6, a slipshod housekeeper, an enamored wife, and a “good enough” homeschooler who believes that the circumstances of life—both good and bad—are pregnant with grace. Her oldest son was diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 2022, which is providing plenty of opportunities to test that hypothesis.