Wednesday 6 January

1 John 4:11-18; Psalm 72; Mark 6:45-52

Do not be afraid!

The early Christian communities were not always understood or appreciated. In fact, very rapidly they found themselves regarded with suspicion and even outright hostility in many towns and cities throughout the Roman empire. And so they could easily identify with the fear of the apostles in a storm-tossed boat. That is exactly how they felt in a culture that threatened to overwhelm them. Like the early Christian communities, we too can draw comfort and strength in our troubled times from this Gospel story: Jesus is never far away and will never let his community be swamped or sink.