FIRST READING
“If we love one another, God abides in us.
A reading from the first Letter of Saint John (1 John 4.11-18)
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his own Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. In this is love perfected with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love.
The word of the Lord
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 72: 1-2. 10-11.12-13 (R. see 11)
R/. All nations on earth shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
O God, give your judgement to the king,
to a king’s son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice,
and your poor in right judgement. R.
The kings of Tarshish and the islands shall pay him tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring him gifts.
Before him all kings shall fall prostrate, all nations shall serve him. R.
For he shall save the needy when they cry,
the poor, and those who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak and the needy,
and save the lives of the needy. R.
Alleluia
Alleluia. Glory to you, O Christ, preached among the nations; glory to you, O Christ, believed on in the world. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
They saw him walking on the sea.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 6 :45-52)
[After the five thousand men were satisfied,] Jesus immediately made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were distressed in rowing, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to 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; for they all saw him, and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; have no fear.” And 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.
The Gospel of the Lord
Today’s Reflection:
With authority as well as compassion Jesus brought calm to His disciples when they were faced with sea turbulence (Mark 6:45-52). He walked over the sea, which means that he has power over the evil powers that are believed to have their dominion in the sea. It is with that same sense of authority that he told his disciples, “Take heart, it is I; have no fear” (Mark 6:50). Every day God repeats that to every troubled soul. With such an assurance, you can go through any storm of life. You only need to abide in God by loving him and then you will be sure that Jesus will be very close to you, and you shall hear that assurance from him always.