First reading Acts 6:1-7
They elected seven men full of the Holy Spirit
About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.’ The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
The word of the Lord continued to spread: the number of disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increased, and a large group of priests made their submission to the faith.
Responsorial Psalm 32(33):1-2,4-5,18-19
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
Gospel John 6:16-21
They saw Jesus walking on the lake
In the evening the disciples went down to the shore of the lake and got into a boat to make for Capernaum on the other side of the lake. It was getting dark by now and Jesus had still not rejoined them. The wind was strong, and the sea was getting rough. They had rowed three or four miles when they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming towards the boat. This frightened them, but he said, ‘It is I. Do not be afraid.’ They were for taking him into the boat, but in no time it reached the shore at the place they were making for.
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Do not be afraid
Storms are unpleasant experiences as they make us afraid, desperate and uncertain. In today’s gospel passage, Jesus’ disciples struggled against the storm and were frightened. Their boat seemed fragile against the storm. Their skills in navigating it seemed useless. Their fear grew when they saw Jesus walking on water towards them. Jesus quickly assured them, “It is I. Do not be afraid”.
We tend to be afraid like the disciples when we experience storms of adversity. We realise that we are vulnerable as we struggle against the strong winds and waves. The things we consider our securities, e.g., material possessions, intellect, etc., cannot give us inner peace and hope we desire. Listen to Jesus as He tells us today and always, “It is I. Do not be afraid”. Jesus constantly calls us to trust in Him because He is with us and cares for us. Only He can give us what we truly need to weather through the storms in our lives.
Reflective question:
Do I go to Jesus and stay with Him when I am overwhelmed by difficulties?
Do I go to Jesus and stay with Him when I am overwhelmed by difficulties?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
