Readings: Acts 6:1–7; Psalm 33:1–2, 4–5, 18–19; John 6:16–21.
The final words of today’s Gospel remind us that God doesn’t always get from point A to point B in a way that we’d either expect or want: “They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading.” Did the disciples ask for him to get into the boat so that the situation would return to normalcy as soon as possible so that they could forget something amazing had happened? A recurring theme throughout Scripture, especially by the prophets, is to not forget God’s past wonders or lose trust that he’ll act again.
God’s presence in our lives is mysterious; we know he’s near and watching, but he often doesn’t reveal himself or suddenly we realize his loving and provident hand in some combination of events that can’t be easily explained away. When we fail to understand this, or we distance ourselves from him in some way, a sudden revelation of his presence can spook us, just like it spooked the Apostles in today’s Gospel. We only have an instinct of superstition in the face of the unexplained or the amazing when we lose sight that someone is present, often behind the scenes, concerned and involved in our lives, but not as a cop on stakeout gathering evidence to arrest us, but as a loving and concerned Father who sends his Son and seeks to fill the world and its events with his Spirit.
Whatever moments of uncertainty or storms we face, let’s pray today’s Psalm: “Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you” and keep our eyes of faith open to see when and how God chooses to reveal himself and trust that he knows what he is doing and will help us get from point A to point B in our lives in a way that we’ll never fully understand or grasp.