And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
"Rabbi, when did you get here?"
Jesus answered them and said,
"Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me
not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
R eaders of Saint John's Gospel are sometimes frustrated by his characterization of Jesus. The Man never gives a simple answer to a simple question. Instead he says something cryptic and deep with meaning.
More accurately, Jesus cannot be bothered with pointless, unhelpful questions asked by people who don't know what they want or need. The question, "When did you get here?" seems wholly irrelevant. I'd expect them to ask, "How did you get here?" since the shoreline walk was apparently faster than crossing by boat. (You remember that Mark 6:33 says that Jesus had escaped the crowds by boat as he went to a remote place, only to be met by them upon his landing.)
In any case when he arrived there, or how he got there by flying, swimming, or walking on water seems unimportant. What is important is why Jesus has come. What does it mean to those who desire to see him?
And especially, now that he has come, what must we do to receive him? Despite our apparent need and desire to receive the Lord, we might not be so eager as we realize what it will cost us.
As I get up each morning, I have a ten minute set of stretching exercises I should do before dressing. It's not difficult or especially time consuming, but sometimes I don't. I don't want to. This morning I started thinking of reasons why I don't have to do it.
And then I thought, "No wait a minute. It's one thing to refuse to do something good, but there's no need to build a wall of excuses for not doing it. It will only stop you from doing what you should do, and then you'll have to take it down piece by piece. If you don't want to do it, don't do it, but don't make your sin worse with idiot excuses!"
We have embarked on John 6, his magnificent introduction to the Bread of Life, and we're immediately challenged with our own foolish questions. We're not going to understand anything if we do not accept Jesus's authority to save us. Our questions cannot come from our habitual skepticism about anything new, strange, or unexpected. His answers force us to stop, think, and consider whether we're actually ready to accept his divine authority over us.
Call it intentional gullibility, if you like, but surrender the habitual hesitation and wounded wariness and pray with the distressed parent, "I do believe. Help my unbelief!"
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.