Jan 2, 2025 Written by 

On troubled waters, with a headwind

(Mk 6:45-52)

 

Roman communities of the time of Mk [the year of the four Caesars] were on the high seas and the disciples seemed to be alone: the Master had now reached safe Land (vv.46-47).

In the dark, though they wanted to move forward, the tiny fraternities were confused by the ongoing civil war, marginalised by the ideology of power, battered by headwinds.

Using paraphrases from the book of Exodus and Isaiah [new Exodus], Mk seeks to help his communities understand the Mystery of the Person of Jesus.

In particular, the presence of the Father in Him, and that 'Someone within something': in the events of their life experience, also torn by internal polemics.

In such growth, there arises the essential awareness of the 'God-with-us'.

Only the Risen One overcomes the fear of upheavals, but does so without rushing in.

And He even wants to go beyond the storms in which the disciples seem to get wrapped up and lost (v.48).

He is devoid of established patterns that would frame Him forever: it would be like making Him evasive and making Him perish. Indeed - like the disciples of Emmaus - they do not recognise Him (vv.49-50).

But if we were all to welcome Him in the «little boat» (v.51), amazed within ourselves [cf. Greek text] we would realise that there is another Kingdom, where each element is in His power.

 

The invisible Friend guides and fulfils infallibly, and brings us to «shore» (v.53) - a ‘final condition’ that the force of the waves cannot affect, even when we have the feeling of being swept away by the floatings.

Precisely in the condition of tossed pilgrims, in approaching his Person we would experience a strange and 'different stability': the persistence against the current.

A crossing towards the freedom that 'comes'... from clinging to 'Jesus within' alone. In the chaos of securities, with no guarantees - because the Lord does not take us out of eddies and oscillating situations, to die in norms, or expected conformisms.

Ours is a discordant permanence, fluctuating; and actuating, but in reversals.

The fatigue of questioning ourselves and the suffering that the adventure of Faith hold, will also fade amidst the troubles of the rough seas.

It is enough to disengage oneself from fixed ideas of stability, even religious stability, and to listen to life as it is, embracing it, even in its throng of bumps, bitterness, dashed hopes of harmony, sorrows - engaging with this torrent of new emergencies, and encountering one's own profound nature.

The best vaccine against the anxieties of adventuring together with Christ on the changing waves of the unexpected will be precisely not to avoid worries upstream - rather, to go towards them and welcome them; to recognise oneself, to let them happen.

Even in the time of global crisis, the apprehensions that seem to want to devastate us again, come to us as preparatory energies for other joys that wish to break through - for new cosmic attunements; for amazement starting with ourselves. And guidance of the beyond.

 

Our little boat is in an upside down, inverted, unequal stability; uncertain, unseemly - yet energetic, prickly, capable of reinventing itself.

It may even be overstretched, but from disarray.

 

 

Weekday Liturgy, 9 January 

143 Last modified on Friday, 03 January 2025 04:31
don Giuseppe Nespeca

Giuseppe Nespeca è architetto e sacerdote. Cultore della Sacra scrittura è autore della raccolta "Due Fuochi due Vie - Religione e Fede, Vangeli e Tao"; coautore del libro "Dialogo e Solstizio".

It is He himself who comes to meet us, who lowers Heaven to stretch out his hand to us and raise us to his heights [Pope Benedict])
È Lui stesso che ci viene incontro, abbassa il cielo per tenderci la mano e portarci alla sua altezza [Papa Benedetto]
As said s. Augustine: «The Word of God which is explained to you every day and in a certain sense "broken" is also daily Bread». Complete food: basic and “compote” food - historical and ideal, in actuality
Come diceva s. Agostino: «La Parola di Dio che ogni giorno viene a voi spiegata e in un certo senso “spezzata” è anch’essa Pane quotidiano». Alimento completo: cibo base e “companatico” - storico e ideale, in atto
Yet Jesus started from there: not from the forecourt of the temple of Jerusalem, but from the opposite side of the country, from Galilee of the nations, from the border region. He started from a periphery. Here there is a message for us: the word of salvation does not go looking for untouched, clean and safe places. Instead, it enters the complex and obscure places in our lives. Now, as then, God wants to visit the very places we think he will never go (Pope Francis)
Eppure Gesù cominciò da lì: non dall’atrio del tempio di Gerusalemme, ma dalla parte opposta del Paese, dalla Galilea delle genti, da un luogo di confine. Cominciò da una periferia. Possiamo cogliervi un messaggio: la Parola che salva non va in cerca di luoghi preservati, sterilizzati, sicuri. Viene nelle nostre complessità, nelle nostre oscurità. Oggi come allora Dio desidera visitare quei luoghi dove pensiamo che Egli non arrivi (Papa Francesco)
“Lumen requirunt lumine”. These evocative words from a liturgical hymn for the Epiphany speak of the experience of the Magi: following a light, they were searching for the Light. The star appearing in the sky kindled in their minds and in their hearts a light that moved them to seek the great Light of Christ. The Magi followed faithfully that light which filled their hearts, and they encountered the Lord (Pope Francis)
«Lumen requirunt lumine». Questa suggestiva espressione di un inno liturgico dell’Epifania si riferisce all’esperienza dei Magi: seguendo una luce essi ricercano la Luce. La stella apparsa in cielo accende nella loro mente e nel loro cuore una luce che li muove alla ricerca della grande Luce di Cristo. I Magi seguono fedelmente quella luce che li pervade interiormente, e incontrano il Signore (Papa Francesco)
John's Prologue is certainly the key text, in which the truth about Christ's divine sonship finds its full expression (John Paul II)
Il Prologo di Giovanni è certamente il testo chiave, nel quale la verità sulla divina figliolanza di Cristo trova la sua piena espressione (Giovanni Paolo II)
The lamb is not a ruler but docile, it is not aggressive but peaceful; it shows no claws or teeth in the face of any attack; rather, it bears it and is submissive. And so is Jesus! So is Jesus, like a lamb (Pope Francis)
L’agnello non è un dominatore, ma è docile; non è aggressivo, ma pacifico; non mostra gli artigli o i denti di fronte a qualsiasi attacco, ma sopporta ed è remissivo. E così è Gesù! Così è Gesù, come un agnello (Papa Francesco)
Innocence prepares, invokes, hastens Peace. But are these things of so much value and so precious? The answer is immediate, explicit: they are very precious gifts (Pope Paul VI)
L’innocenza prepara, invoca, affretta la Pace. Ma si tratta di cose di tanto valore e così preziose? La risposta è immediata, esplicita: sono doni preziosissimi (Papa Paolo VI)

Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 1 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 2 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 3 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 4 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 5 Dialogo e Solstizio I fiammiferi di Maria

duevie.art

don Giuseppe Nespeca

Tel. 333-1329741


Disclaimer

Questo blog non rappresenta una testata giornalistica in quanto viene aggiornato senza alcuna periodicità. Non può pertanto considerarsi un prodotto editoriale ai sensi della legge N°62 del 07/03/2001.
Le immagini sono tratte da internet, ma se il loro uso violasse diritti d'autore, lo si comunichi all'autore del blog che provvederà alla loro pronta rimozione.
L'autore dichiara di non essere responsabile dei commenti lasciati nei post. Eventuali commenti dei lettori, lesivi dell'immagine o dell'onorabilità di persone terze, il cui contenuto fosse ritenuto non idoneo alla pubblicazione verranno insindacabilmente rimossi.