After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side near Bethsaida, while he himself sent the crowd away. After saying goodbye to them he went off into the hills to pray. When evening came, the boat was far out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. He could see that they were hard pressed in their rowing, for the wind was against them; and about the fourth watch of the night he came towards them, walking on the sea. He was going to pass them by, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke to them and said, ‘Courage! It’s me! Don’t be afraid.’ Then he got into the boat with them and the wind dropped. They were utterly and completely dumbfounded, because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.
The Saint of the day: Saint John Nepomucene Neumann
Wara li kulħadd kiel u xaba’ ġabru l-bċejjeċ li fadal mill-ħobż u l-ħut u mlew tnax-il qoffa; u kienu ħamest elef raġel dawk li kielu mill-ħobż! Minnufih ġagħal id-dixxipli tiegħu jitilgħu fuq id-dgħajsa u jmorru x-xatt l-ieħor qablu, lejn Betsajda, sakemm hu jibgħat in-nies. Wara li sellmilhom u ħalliehom, tala’ fuq l-għoljiet biex jitlob. Xħin sar filgħaxija d-dgħajsa kienet għadha f’nofs il-baħar, u hu waħdu l-art. Kif rahom jitħabtu jaqdfu, għax kellhom ir-riħ għal wiċċhom, għal xi r-raba’ sahra tal-lejl mar lejn in-naħa tagħhom miexi fuq il-baħar, u ried jgħaddihom. Huma rawh miexi fuq il-baħar u stħajjluh xi fantażma, u qabdu jgħajjtu, għax ilkoll tbeżżgħu kif rawh. Iżda hu minnufih kellimhom: “Agħmlu l-qalb, jiena hu, tibżgħu xejn.” Mbagħad tala’ ħdejhom fid-dgħajsa, u r-riħ waqaf. U komplew tnixxfu fihom infushom bil-għaġeb, għax il-miraklu tal-ħobż ma kinux fehmuh, imma moħħhom kien magħluq.
Il-Qaddis tal-Jum: San Ġwann Nipomucenu Neumann