5TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. 

In today’s Gospel, we see the crowds beginning to recognize a new reality: God was powerfully present in the person of Jesus. So people flocked to wherever they heard he was. They came to him with their curiosity, their concerns, and their ailing loved ones. They came to hear Jesus speak God’s words to them and to receive his healing love for them.

Now, we know that we can encounter God in a unique and privileged way in our places of worship. He is there whenever his people gather to pray, and his loving presence remains in the tabernacle even when no one is around.

But you might have made an important discovery during the pandemic. With most churches off-limits, at least for a time, you might have come to recognize that Jesus’ presence isn’t limited to your church building. The challenge of being cut off from your parish church or favorite shrine might have convinced you that Jesus never abandons his beloved people. He makes his home with every believer and whispers his invitation to every seeker.

Think back over the ways Jesus met you during that time when it wasn’t safe to come to church. Perhaps he touched you in the pages of Scripture, or over a Zoom link as you prayed with friends or family. Maybe you recognized Jesus in the ways your neighbors came together to meet one another’s needs. Jesus was there in those situations and in so many more. He is always eager to be with us, wherever we are. And while nothing compares to his presence in the Eucharist, that is not the only way you can encounter him.

So where will Jesus “get out of the boat” in your life today? Like the crowds in Mark’s Gospel, rush to meet him with your deepest needs and your loving praise. He will make himself known to you, both in church and in your everyday life! The more clearly you discern him in one place, the easier and sweeter it will be to recognize him in another.

“Jesus, open my eyes to recognize your presence in my life more swiftly.”

1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13
Psalm 132:6-10
Mark 6:53-56