Little brother avi bala bitra                                                                JUNE 2021 20 SUN 

TWELFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Jb 38:1, 8-11; Ps 107:23-26,28-31; 2 Cor 5:14-17; Mk 4:35-41

CALMING THE STORMS WITH JESUS

 

Welcome to a short reflection on XII Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The disciples spent a lot of time with Jesus and saw him perform many miracles. You would think that they’d have a lot of faith. But in their humanity, it became evident they had more faith that the storm would destroy them than in Jesus saving them.

The significance of Jesus calming the storm is pertinent/relevant to what’s happening in our world today and is evidence of God’s love for us. COVID - 19 has had a significant impact on our lives. We’re flooded by numerous types of storms daily.

 The first thing that we notice in the Gospel today is the calmness of Jesus in the face of the storm.

 Their lives were in danger, but Jesus could find the peace of mind to rest awhile.

 This is what complete trust in God and reliance on his providence looks like.

 As the Psalmist says, “I will lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O Lord make me lie down in safety” (Ps 4:8).

 How often have we lost sleep with over tensions and troubles?

How often have we allowed the happenings of life to take away our peace of mind and replace it with anxiety?

Jesus not only urged his listeners to surrender their lives to God in complete faith and trust, but did it himself. 

On the other hand, the disciples were trembled with fear when they saw the huge waves beating against their boat.

 They were filled with anxiety as the boat was tossed about by the waves due to the storm.

The Jews in the time of Jesus, associated storms at sea with danger, terror, insecurity, chaos and demonic powers – things that threaten human life.

Thus, the disciples thought that they were going to perish.

They had forgotten that their Master was in the boat with them.

They had forgotten all the marvels he had worked, the miracles he had performed.

 This is what happens to us as well.

 When all things are going on well in life, it is easy to be a

Christian; it is easy to pray, it is easy to do charity, it is easy to be regular with our religious practices and penances.

 But when storms arise, we can forget that the same God who was with us in the good times, is also with us in these difficult ones.

These are the times when we need him most; yet, we look the other way.

The true worth,  

of our courage is seen, in times of fear; 

of our hope,  in times of despair;

of our faith, in times of suffering and difficulty. 

In their distress, the disciples woke the Lord.

Jesus “rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And then the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

 This is the fulfilment of the prophecy of the psalmist that we hear in the responsorial psalm today – give thanks to the Lord, for his love is everlasting. 

Jesus, by this act, proved that He and the Father were one. 

For, the same powers attributed to God by the psalmist were manifested in Jesus –

“He stilled the storm to a whisper: all the waves of the sea were hushed” (Ps 107:25). 

This miracle proved his power over nature, and consequently, over all of creation; a power attributed to God in the first reading – “Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stopped.”

 This should not cause him to lose confidence.

 The storms whether in the life of a Christian or the life of the church, are like a boat or a vessel on the sea.

When storms at sea rise, the vessel is overwhelmed, and the inhabitants are filled with fear of drowning.

The waves beat the vessel and the strong wind drags the vessel to other directions.

At such moments, allow Jesus to be the pilot of our life;

He will calm the storms and guide us towards the eternal light.

Especially in the midst of this storm of the COVID pandemic,

let us trust that with Jesus Christ, we will triumph over it.

 -        Avinash Bitra OFM Cap.