Wednesday after Epiphany
Lectionary: 214
Reading 1 from the 1st letter of St. John
1 Jn 4:11-18
Beloved, if God so loved us,
we also must love one another.
John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
No one has ever seen God.
Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us,God is love. Therefore love is a sign of God's presence in us, when we love someone.
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us,The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Love. And if we have that Spirit, we will also exhibit that love. That is how we know that God remains in us.
that he has given us of his Spirit.
Moreover, we have seen and testify
that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God remains in him and he in God.
We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.
God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.
In this is love brought to perfection among us,
that we have confidence on the day of judgment
because as he is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love,
but perfect love drives out fear
because fear has to do with punishment,
and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.
This statement is made by a very special person. This is St. John the Apostle. The only man amongst the Apostles who remained with Jesus when He was taken by the Jews and scourged and beaten. The only man amongst the Apostles who was under the Cross with Jesus' mother.
St. John knows what he is talking about. St. John's love for Christ cast out all fear. And this is what he recommends for us. But most of us are like the rest of the Apostles. Fearful. Working out our salvation in fear and trembling.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 72:1-2, 10, 12-13
R. (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The Psalms continue to speak of the coming of Christ.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark
Mk 6:45-52
After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied,Jesus made his disciples get into the boatand precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida,while he dismissed the crowd.
After the 5000 had been fed, Jesus sent the disciples to the other side of the sea while he dismissed the crowd.
And when he had taken leave of them,And Jesus walked on the water towards the disciples at sea.
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.He meant to meet up with them on the other side, but when they saw Him walking on the water, they were terrified, thinking they had seen a ghost.
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.
He stopped and got in the boat with them. And He comforted them. Even the wind died down and the sea was calm. But they were astonished and confused and had not even understood how he had multiplied the loaves to feed the 5000. In fact, they had lost heart and faith.
Sincerely,
De Maria
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