ROSEMARY Theobalds, from St Mary’s Catholic Church, provides this commentary on Mark 6 v 30–34 and 53-56:

“Whether you are a regular, or occasional, reader of this column, you will be aware that all the writers try to show the Gospel’s relevance to our own lives in the twenty-first century.

“In this Gospel passage we read that Jesus makes it a priority to take his disciples away from the crowds to rest and seek true re-creation. He does the same himself, sending his disciples to cross the lake in a boat while he withdraws to pray.

“His thoughts and this time of communion with God, his Father, are soon interrupted when he spots the disciples in the middle of the lake struggling against a storm which has suddenly blown up.

“He walks towards them on the water and they think they are seeing a ghost. He speaks to them: ‘Courage, it is I! Do not be afraid.’ He gets into the boat and the wind suddenly drops: the disciples have a lot of catching up to do in their understanding and we are told they are utterly dumbfounded.

“They now have to try to make sense of two amazing events. Isn’t that a bit like us?

“We can be surprised by joy, but devastated by tragic events; we struggle to find meaning in what has taken place.

“But the meaning is there if we are to believe the pattern revealed in the life of Jesus: death is transformed into life; crucifixion into resurrection.

“The pattern for all life, in nature and in human life, is made clear for us if we have eyes to see.”