2nd Passiontide 2017, Wakened Ear

2^nd Passiontide

Ivan Aivasovsky, Wikimedia

March 26, 2017

John 6: 16 - 26

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off over the sea for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea; and they were terrified. But he said to them, "I AM, have no fear." Now when they wanted to take him into the boat, immediately the boat was at the land, at the place where they wanted to go.

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"

Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, the truth I say to you: You are seeking me not because you saw signs of spiritual power, but because you ate of the bread and were satisfied.

  

2^nd Passiontide

March 26, 2017

John 6: 16 - 26

We are in rough waters. The wind of events are howling; the seas of emotions are running high. We are making efforts toward our goals, but are being pushed back. Fear is rising.

This is the moment when our hearts can call on our awareness of the spirit. We know that there is an over-arching divine consciousness. Our awareness of the spirit becomes a Presence; it can itself be terrifying at first. But in compassion, the Presence says: Fear not. I AM. And immediately we are at our goal. We find the ground under our feet. We experience calm trust and the radiance of love. For we 'have eaten of the bread and were satisfied.' (John 6:26)

The heart’s song did not sound in vain,

for many now can hear again

the word of angels: Do not fear!

New light and sound in us appear

for strengthened heart and wakened ear.*

*Lent Song, German folk song, translation from Camphill

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2nd Passiontide 2016, Dark Hours

2^nd Passiontide

Ivan Aivasovsky, Wikicommons

John 6: 16 - 26

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off over the sea for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea; and they were terrified. But he said to them, "I AM, have no fear" Now when they wanted to take him into the boat, immediately the boat was at the land, at the place where they wanted to go.

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"

Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, the truth I say to you: You are seeking me not because you saw signs of spiritual power, but because you ate of the bread and were satisfied.

2^nd Passiontide

March 6, 2016

John 6: 16 - 26

Ivan Aivasovsky, Wikicommons

This gospel reading has something of the quality of a dream. It is night; the disciples are in a boat, working hard to make headway in rough seas. Suddenly they see Christ. He appears as if walking, a shining form above the waters. They shrink with fear, but he calms them with the assurance of his very being – it is I. And when they take him in, they are suddenly at their destination.

Our lives too are sometimes beset with darkness and rough passages. It is just at those times when Christ can make his ever-presence known to us. He assures us that fear is to be dispelled, because he is the Guide on our journey. With his aid, we will reach our goal of firm grounding.

Not only is he our guide for the way; he is also our bread for the way. Just as after a night on the sea of dreams, we come to the daytime shore refreshed, so too does Christ nourish our spirits. He gives us life and strength. We come to him trusting that we will survive with him, even in the darkest hours. Perhaps, like Rilke, we can even learn to love them. He says,

I love the dark hours of my being.

My mind deepens into them.

There I can find, as in old letters,

the days of my life, already lived,

and held like a legend, and understood.

Then the knowing comes: I can open

to another life that's wide and timeless.*

*Ranier Maria Rilke in Rilke’s Book of Hours: Love Poems to God, trans. by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy 

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2nd Passiontide 2012, Hungry

2nd Passiontide

John 6: 16 - 26

Amadee Varin

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off over the sea for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea; and they were terrified. But he said to them, "I AM, have no fear" Now when they wanted to take him into the boat, immediately the boat was at the land, at the place where they wanted to go.

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"

Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, the truth I say to you: You are seeking me not because you saw signs of spiritual power, but because you ate of the bread and were satisfied. 

2^nd Passiontide

April 3, 2011

John 6: 16-25

The created world is full of wonders. Among the greatest of these wonders is the human form, the dwelling place of our spirits. Although we think of our body as solid, it is mostly flowing liquid. We live within a surging sea.

Roland  Tiller

The disciples are in a little boat when the wind and seas rise. On this surging sea they perceive their teacher. His appearance in such a place terrifies them; it seems to defy all logic. He calms them with the mysterious words: I AM. The meaning behind these two simple words in Hebrew is expanded into its full meaning in the hymn we sing: He who was, He who is, He who is to come. Or, I AM who I will become.

His ‘I AM’ is meant to convey to us that no matter what happens to the body, no matter how threatened or threatening the body may become, He, the Being of Love, is always present. His eternal loving uprightness is always present as a source of strength and courage for us. He encourages us not to fixate too much on the transitory things, on ‘the food that spoils’[1]. Rather we are to seek and find Him as a source of nourishment that feeds our own I AM, our spirits, the eternal part of our being. ‘I AM the Bread of Life, He says. ‘He who finds his way to me will hunger no more, and he who comes to me in faith and trust will nevermore thirst’.[2]

As the poet David Whyte says:

….

This is not

the age of information.

Forget the news,

and the radio,

and the blurred screen.

This is the time

of loaves

and fishes.

People are hungry

and one good word is bread

for a thousand. [3]

www.thechristiancommunity.org

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[1] John 6: 27

[2] John 6: 35

[3] David Whyte,  “Loaves and Fishes”

2nd Passiontide 2013, Earth is Living Flesh

2nd Passiontide

John 6: 16 - 26

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off over the sea for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea; and they were terrified. But he said to them, "I AM, have no fear" Now when they wanted to take him into the boat, immediately the boat was at the land, at the place where they wanted to go.

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"

Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, the truth I say to you: You are seeking me not because you saw signs of spiritual power, but because you ate of the bread and were satisfied.

2^nd Passiontide

March 10, 2013

John 6: 16 – 26

We can picture the disciples in the boat. It is night, and stormy. They begin to fear for their lives. Yet Christ Jesus comes to them. He shines like a lodestar. He tells them to have no fear, for He is the I AM, the guide for all mankind. They take Him on board, and are immediately at their goal.

Today humanity, and especially some of us individually, are traveling in rough seas, in darkness. And Christ the Star says to us: Have no fear. I am your guide. I will take you to your true goal. Our difficulty sometimes is in seeing Him, hearing Him. For the thunder is roaring and we feel swamped. Yet He is there, a quiet, calm. We have trouble holding on to these flashes of His presence. The poet says:

Roland Tiller

Hope is with you when you believe

The earth is not a dream but living flesh,

That sight, touch, and hearing do not lie,

That all things you have ever seen here

Are like a garden looked at from a gate.

You cannot enter. But you're sure it's there.

Some people say we should not trust our eyes,

That there is nothing, just a seeming,….

Could we but look more clearly and wisely

We might discover somewhere in the garden

A strange new flower and an unnamed star.[1]

www.thechristiancommunity.org

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[1]“Hope”, Czeslaw Milosz, in The World