Gospel: Mark 6:53-56

 

The text of today’s Gospel is the final part of the whole passage of Mark, which presents three different themes: Jesus goes to the mountain alone to pray; Immediately after, Jesus walks on the water, goes toward the disciples who are struggling against the waves of the sea; in today s Gospel, when they were already on the shore, the people look for Jesus so that He can cure their sick.

 

The people were numerous. They came from all parts, bringing their sick. The enthusiasm of the people who look for Jesus, recognize Him, and follow Him is surprising. What impels people to search for Jesus is desire to be cured of their sicknesses. 

 

The Gospel of Matthew enlightens this fact quoting the figure of the Servant of Yahweh, of whom Isaiah says, “Yet ours were the sufferings he was bearing, ours the sorrows he was carrying.”

 

To teach and to cure. Right from the beginning of His apostolic activity, Jesus goes through all the villages of Galilee, to speak to the people about the imminent coming of the Kingdom of God. There, wherever He finds people to listen to Him, He speaks and transmits the Good News of God; He accepts the sick, in all places.

 

The origin of this great enthusiasm of the people was, on the one hand, the person of Jesus who called and attracted and, on the other hand, the abandonment in which people lived, they were like sheep without a shepherd, and He not only spoke of God, but He also revealed Him. This is the Good News which attracts!