23 June, 2024 | 12th Sunday in Ordinary time

 Reading1: Jb 38:1, 8-11, Reading2: 2 Cor 5:14-17

Gospel Mk 4:35-41

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:

“Let us cross to the other side.”

Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.

And other boats were with him.

A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,

so that it was already filling up.

Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.

They woke him and said to him,

“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

He woke up,

rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet!  Be still!”

The wind ceased and there was great calm.

Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?

Do you not yet have faith?”

They were filled with great awe and said to one another,

“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

Reflection: 

  A sudden, turbulent storm stirred up waves of anxiety and fear in the disciples.  Helpless, they shook up Jesus who was tired and asleep on a cushion in the boat.  They may not  have realised what they shouted out to him in their predicament.

If they were men of great faith, then they may have woken him up saying, “O Lord, please stop the storm!”  That would have re-iterated their faith in him, as in saying – “Yes Lord, only you can do it!”

However, it is written that they said “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”  That must have shaken up our Lord much more than the storm shook up the disciples.  They were actually accusing him saying – “You don’t care and are allowing us to perish?!”  It was the magnanimous nature of the Son of God to say - “But why are you terrified?” – not showing just how much he must have been hurt.

So often we face the storms of life like the disciples, wondering if God truly exists.  At such times it is important to remember that God is more hurt than we are afraid by the lack of our faith.

Activity:

 Examine the prayers you pray.  Are they from a disciple of deep faith or are they from one of anxiety and fear?