In Chapter Six, Jesus marvels at the lack of belief shown by people in his home town of Nazareth – despite his healings. He then sends out the twelve Apostles, two by two, telling them to only take a staff — no bread, bag or money in their belts.
We learn about the death of John the Baptist, beheaded by King Herod, before Jesus feeds the five thousand with five loaves and two fish.
After this, His disciples, struggling in the sea in a strong wind, stare in amazement as Jesus walks on water. When they make landfall at Gennesaret, Jesus heals many sick people.
Reading Mark in Advent is an 18-part podcast series that sees us upload a chapter of Mark’s Gospel each weekday of the season.With a global pandemic sweeping the world and lockdowns and restrictions placed on our everyday living – not to mention patterns of worship and prayer – this is very much “the Word in Lockdown”.
But the Word of God is never locked down, isolated and contained. As Pope Francis says:
“The word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12); it does not die, nor does it age, but it remains for ever (cf. 1 Peter 1:25). It stays young in the presence of all that passes away (cf. Matthew 25:35) and preserves those who put it into practice from inner aging.”
