After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied,
Jesus made his disciples get into the boat
and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida,
while he dismissed the crowd. And when he had taken leave of them,
he went off to the mountain to pray. 
When it was evening,
the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. 
Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing,
for the wind was against them. 
About the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea. 
He meant to pass by them.  
But when they saw him walking on the sea,
they thought it was a ghost and cried out. 
They had all seen him and were terrified. 
But at once he spoke with them,
“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” 
He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. 
They were completely astounded. 
They had not understood the incident of the loaves. 
On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.  (Mark 6:45-52)

Just as the miracle of the loaves foreshadows the mystery of the Eucharist, the storm at sea foreshadows the mystery of Baptism. Two mysteries  Mark’s gospel links together in our reading today. 

Life is a journey. Mark presents it as a water journey, a journey we take in Baptism as we enter the water with Jesus Christ. It’s not a journey without storms.

In Mark’s account, Jesus is not asleep in the boat but on the mountain in prayer as he sends his disciples on their way. Yet he watches over them on the water. 

He sees them tossed by the waves and the winds and he comes to them. He walks on the water, for he is Lord of land and sea. When they cry out for help, he says to them “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid” and he enters the boat and the winds die down. 

The sacraments are the great signs Jesus is with us. We may see him far off, but the sacraments tell us he is near. We plan to go through a  life without storms, “smooth sailing”, but life is not like that. 

The gospel readings reveal the sacraments to us as signs of the abiding presence of Jesus Christ who, when he entered the waters of the Jordan, became forever one with us.  

He is Lord of the storms. Companion on the journey.