12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The readings for the 12th Sunday show us God’s power and our need to trust Him. In the first reading, God reminds Job of His control over the sea. He set boundaries for the waters and commands the waves. This shows God’s authority over creation. Even the mighty sea, which can be so powerful and frightening, obeys God’s commands. Our gospel reading for this week is all about being Calm amid the storms of life that sometimes come our way. The context of this passage is the calming of the storm when Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet now! Be calm!’ And he says the same to us now in all our trials ‘Quiet now! Be calm! Jesus understood that all would be well even if he and the disciples perished or if the storm subsided. Mark’s original audience was a community undergoing persecution. Their leaders had been martyred and, they questioned what was happening to them. The church was undergoing internal strife as they struggled to bring Jews and Gentiles into their new Christian community. Mark’s church was hardly sailing on calm waters not unlike our church today.
Jesus’ previous parables of sowing, growth and harvest showed God’s control over the land. This passage also shows that God is in charge and has control over the chaos we often see and hear about exemplified for us today by the calming of the storm. Jesus asks the disciples in the midst of the storm, why are you so frightened and why do you have so little faith. He could be saying the same thing to us today as many lack faith in God and mankind. Amongst all the hurt and devastation in our lives Jesus changes the darkness that is in our daily lives into the sunshine of everlasting life, and replaces our distress with comfort and peace. When we don’t know the best way forward or the best way out Jesus gives us peace of mind and heart to make the right decision. At such a crossroads of life, we can ask him, ‘Lord, what road should I take what way should I Go?’ The best way will become so much clearer, and bring us calmness and peace as well as the knowledge of a decision well made. We have so many things to occupy our minds these days with all the things that are going on in our world. If we stop and look around us we see the signs of Jesus in people trying their best to look after others, to provide meals and shelter, to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, to work for peace in the midst of conflict to bring comfort and to pray. The disciples’ fear during the storm teaches us about our own fears and who we should trust. We often feel overwhelmed by life’s challenges and there are many. But Jesus shows us that He is greater than any storm. We remember that Jesus is with us in the good times and bad as a gentle calming presence as we go through the storms of life that affect all of us from time to time and we should trust him to be our helper and guide as we go forward.
Fullerton T 