John 6:16-21

Acts 6:1-7

Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19

John 6:16-21

When it was evening, the disciples of Jesus went down to the sea,

embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to Capernaum.

It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.

When they had rowed about three or four miles,

they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat,

and they began to be afraid.

But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.”

They wanted to take him into the boat,

but the boat immediately arrived at the shore

to which they were heading.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I believe in your Son. He is true God and true man. I believe that he is the Savior of the world. Grant me the strength to overcome my fears and set out courageously on the path that leads to eternal communion with you.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Jesus is God: After the multiplication of the loaves, Jesus manifests his divine power by walking on the Sea of Galilee. The disciples struggled against the strong winds and saw Jesus approach them on the waters. Without Jesus we can do nothing, but with him all things are possible. Jesus’ simple words, “It is I” or “I am” (Greek: ego eimi) recall the revelation of God’s name to Moses: “I Am” (Exodus 3:14). Jesus is revealing to his disciples that he is truly God and that all creation is subject to him. The Alleluia verse in today’s liturgy recalls both the divine power of Christ, who created all things, and his divine mercy toward the human race. In the Gospel, we see how the divine power of Christ mercifully saves his disciples from the strong winds and the raging sea. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his disciples to not be anxious about their life (Matthew 6:25). We learn in today’s Gospel that God cares for us and that we are called to trust in him and his providence without reservation. We believe that he is all-powerful and that he will guide us to safe harbor.

2. The First Seven Deacons: We see God’s care for his people in the First Reading from the Act of the Apostles. There was an injustice that needed to be addressed: the widows of the Hellenists – Jewish converts who spoke Greek – were being neglected in the daily distribution (or service) of food and money. The Apostles addressed the problem by asking the people to choose seven reputable men, filled with the Holy Spirit and with wisdom, for the task of serving the people. Wisdom is a gift from the Holy Spirit and will enable these to act in a just manner in their duties. The seven men were presented to the Apostles and they laid hands on them. The laying on of hands was and still is a symbolic and sacramental gesture of consecration and commission. It confers the grace of the Holy Spirit and is linked with the sacrament of ordination (1 Timothy 4:14). The seven men were commissioned to serve, not just in the administration of temporal goods, but also in preaching (8:5) and baptizing (8:12). They are called “deacons,” based on the Greek word for service (diakonia).

3. The First Degree of Holy Orders: Like the seven men chosen for service in the Acts of the Apostles, deacons today receive the first degree of Holy Orders. The Sacrament of Holy Orders conforms them, not to Christ the Head as a priest, but to Christ the Servant as a deacon. Deacons do not receive the ministerial priesthood, but rather assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the divine mysteries, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity (CCC, 1569-70). The sacramental grace strengthens them in their dedication to the People of God in the service of the liturgy, of the Gospel, and of works of charity (CCC, 1588).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am called, as a Christian, to be a servant of the Word and of charity. Help me to know when and how to preach the Gospel to others. Help me to know when and how to love others, alleviate their suffering, and care for those in need. 

Living the Word of God: Today’s readings are a call to humble service. First, we recognize that we are creatures and that without God we can do nothing. Second, we are challenged by Jesus' words: “The greatest among you will be your servant” (Matthew 23:11); “If anyone would be first, he must be the last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35). At the end of our lives, if we have been faithful to God’s grace and welcome his mercy, we will hear his words of welcome: “Well done good and faithful servant... enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21).