Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 95
Lectionary: 95
The Lord addressed
Job out of the storm and said:
Who shut within doors the sea,
when it burst forth from the womb;
when I made the clouds its garment
and thick darkness its swaddling bands?
When I set limits for it
and fastened the bar of its door,
and said: Thus far shall you come but no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stilled!
Who shut within doors the sea,
when it burst forth from the womb;
when I made the clouds its garment
and thick darkness its swaddling bands?
When I set limits for it
and fastened the bar of its door,
and said: Thus far shall you come but no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stilled!
R. (1b) Give thanks to the Lord, his love is
everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They who sailed the sea in ships,
trading on the deep waters,
These saw the works of the LORD
and his wonders in the abyss.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
His command raised up a storm wind
which tossed its waves on high.
They mounted up to heaven; they sank to the depths;
their hearts melted away in their plight.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They cried to the LORD in their distress;
from their straits he rescued them,
He hushed the storm to a gentle breeze,
and the billows of the sea were stilled.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They rejoiced that they were calmed,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his kindness
and his wondrous deeds to the children of men.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They who sailed the sea in ships,
trading on the deep waters,
These saw the works of the LORD
and his wonders in the abyss.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
His command raised up a storm wind
which tossed its waves on high.
They mounted up to heaven; they sank to the depths;
their hearts melted away in their plight.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They cried to the LORD in their distress;
from their straits he rescued them,
He hushed the storm to a gentle breeze,
and the billows of the sea were stilled.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They rejoiced that they were calmed,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his kindness
and his wondrous deeds to the children of men.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Brothers and
sisters:
The love of Christ impels us,
once we have come to the conviction that one died for all;
therefore, all have died.
He indeed died for all,
so that those who live might no longer live for themselves
but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh;
even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh,
yet now we know him so no longer.
So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come.
The love of Christ impels us,
once we have come to the conviction that one died for all;
therefore, all have died.
He indeed died for all,
so that those who live might no longer live for themselves
but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh;
even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh,
yet now we know him so no longer.
So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has risen in our midst,
God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has risen in our midst,
God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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?”
“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?”
Scripture Study, June
21, 2015
June 21, 2015 12th
Sunday of Ordinary Time
This Sunday we celebrate the Twelfth Sunday of
Ordinary Time. The first reading comes from a time when storms were so far
beyond man’s understanding that they were often used as symbols of God’s
presence called theophonies. Here God speaks to Job out of a storm and even
today it is a good image of God speaking from the midst of His power. Paul
reminds us that we are new creations in Christ. In the Gospel reading, Jesus is
revealed in the midst of a storm just as God was revealed in the first reading.
These readings ask how do I respond to the storms in my life?
First Reading: Job 38: 1. 8-11
1 Then the LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said:
8 And who shut within doors the sea,
when it burst forth from the womb;
when it burst forth from the womb;
9 When I made the clouds its garment
and thick darkness its swaddling bands?
and thick darkness its swaddling bands?
10 When I set limits for it
and fastened the bar of its door,
and fastened the bar of its door,
11 And said: Thus far shall you come but no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stilled!
and here shall your proud waves be stilled!
NOTES on First Reading:
* 38:4-14 The basic idea of this portion of
Job is God’s question to Job of where were you during the creation? Our reading
comes from the verses which present the origins of the earth, sea, and light in
the reverse order of that seen in Genesis 1:3-10.
* 38:8-11 The creation of the ocean is
portrayed as a birth. The ocean which is usually portrayed in scripture as
threatening and tumultuous is here portrayed as a new born baby requiring God’s
tender care.
Second Reading: 2 Cor 5: 14-17
14 For the love of Christ impels us, once we
have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died.
15 He indeed died for all, so that those who
live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died
and was raised. 16 Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the
flesh; even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him
so no longer. 17 So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have
passed away; behold, new things have come.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* 5:17 Paul borrows language from apocalyptic
Judaism. He actually means that by the lived acceptance of the new standard of
humanity represented by Christ a radical change takes place in the individual
and in the believing community to which that individual belongs. This radical
change is actually transforming in that by the power of God’s grace it causes
the community to be the presence of Jesus Himself.
Gospel Reading: Mk 4: 35- 41
35 On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, “Let us
cross to the other side.” 36 Leaving the
crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were
with him.
37 A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the
boat, so that it was already filling up. 38 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?” 39He woke up, rebuked
the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was
great calm. 40Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do
you not yet have faith?” 41 They were filled
with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and
sea obey?”
NOTES on Gospel:
* 4:35-41 This section is here partly to
answer the objection of people to the “piece-by-piece” coming of the Kingdom of
God. It shows Jesus as being obviously more than man. It was a story for the
Church of Mark’s day and for the one of our day too. The boat (Church) has not
been abandoned and will not sink because Jesus is with us. No storm or
disrupting event will ruin the work of Jesus.
* 4:36 Mark refers to other “little ships”
that were “with him” as well as “the ship” in which Jesus Himself traveled.
Some have taken these to represent the many believers and groups of believers
that try to follow Christ without being in His ship or a part of “The Church.”
While the little ships could follow His ship, the storm was not calmed when the
little ships were in danger of sinking but when the ship Jesus was in was in
danger of sinking.
* 4:38 The word, “asleep” recalls Prov 3:23-24
and Ps 4:8.
* 4:39 Note links to the language in Ps 44:23
and Ps 107:23-32.
Meditation: "Why are you afraid?"
How can we fight fear with faith? Jesus' sleeping presence on
the storm-tossed sea reveals the sleeping faith of his disciples. They feared
for their lives even though their Lord and Master was with them in the boat.
They were asleep to Christ while he was present to them in their hour of need.
The Lord is ever present to us. And in our time of testing he asks the same question: Why
are you afraid? Have you no faith? Do you recognize the Lord's
presence with you, especially when you meet the storms of adversity, sorrow,
and temptation? Whenever we encounter trouble, the Lord is there with the same
reassuring message: "It is I, do not be afraid."
What are the characteristics of faith and how can we grow in it?
Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to us. Believing is only possible
by grace and the help of the Holy Spirit, who moves the heart and who opens the
eyes of the mind to understand and accept the truth which God has revealed to
us. Faith enables us to relate to God rightly and confidently, with trust and
reliance, by believing and adhering to his word, because he is utterly reliable
and trustworthy. If we want to live, grow, and persevere in faith, then it must
be nourished with the word of God.
Fear does not need to cripple us from taking right action or rob
us of our trust and reliance on God. Courage working with faith enables us to
embrace God's word of truth and love with confidence and to act on it with firm
hope in God's promises. The love of God strengthens us in our faith and trust
in him and enables us to act with justice and kindness towards our neighbor
even in the face of opposition or harm. Do you allow the love of Christ to rule
in your heart and mind, and to move your will to choose what is good in
accordance with his will?
"Lord Jesus, increase my faith in your redeeming love and
power that I may always recognize your abiding presence with me. And give me
courage to do your will in all circumstances."
TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, JUNE 21, MARK 4:35-41
(Job 38:1, 8-11; Psalm 107; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17)
SUNDAY, JUNE 21, MARK 4:35-41
(Job 38:1, 8-11; Psalm 107; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17)
KEY VERSE: "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?" (v 40).
TO READ: Jesus had been teaching his disciples by means of parables. Now he taught them by means of a parable in action. When Jesus and his disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee, a storm suddenly arose and threatened to capsize their small craft. The disciples were terrified and chastised Jesus who was asleep in the stern of the boat (the pilot's seat). Jesus exercised the same authority that God used at creation (Gen 1:2). He restored order to the elements with a simple command: "Peace, be still!" This event is an encouragement to the Church, the bark of Peter, which is often in danger, making no apparent headway, and sometimes feeling the Lord's absence. In times such as these, with Jesus' abiding presence we can ride the winds of the storms that bring sickness, failure and disappointment in our lives.
TO READ: How can I speak God's peace to a troubled world?
TO RESPOND: Lord Jesus, help me to turn to you in all the storms of my life.
FATHER'S DAY (USA), JUNE 21
The United States is one of the few countries in the world that has an official day on which fathers are honored by their children. In 1909, Mrs. Dodd thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon. She approached her minister in Spokane about having a church service dedicated to fathers on June 5, her father's birthday. That date was too soon for her minister to prepare the service, so he spoke a few weeks later on June 19th. From then on, the state of Washington celebrated the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Other states and organizations began lobbying Congress to declare an annual Father's Day. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson approved of this idea, but it was not until 1924 when President Calvin Coolidge made it a national event to "establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations." In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day and put the official stamp on a celebration that was going on for almost half a century.
“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are!” I John 3:1
FIRST DAY OF SUMMER
The summer solstice marks the first day of the season of summer (on June 20th or 21st). In the northern hemisphere, the longest day of the year when the Sun is farthest north. The declination of the Sun on the (northern) summer solstice is known as the tropic of cancer. In the southern hemisphere, winter and summer solstices are exchanged. The solstice is an astronomical event, caused by Earth’s tilt on its axis, and its motion in orbit around the sun. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, since the length of time elapsed between sunrise and sunset on this day is a maximum for the year.
Sunday 21 June 2015
SUN 21ST. 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Job 38:1,
8-11. Give thanks to the lord, his love is everlasting—Ps 106(107):23-26,
28-31. 2 Corinthians 5:14-17. Mark 5:35-41 [St Aloysius Gonzaga].
‘Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?’
I think
of myself in the boat with Jesus after he had calmed the storm. ‘Who is this?’
I ask myself with the apostles. ‘Even the wind and sea obey him?’ I hear him
asking me, ‘Where were you when I shut in the sea with its doors, set bars to
it and said: this far shall you go and no further?’ Where indeed? Do I panic
when some little storm erupts? Why can I not trust?
It was not because the
apostles wakened him that he rebuked them. He wants us to call on him in
troubled moments. It was because of the lack of trust they showed—’Do you not
care if we perish?—and their fear that he could not help, doubting that he
would. How could they fear when he was in the boat with them?
How can we fear for the
church in times of stress and uncertainty, for he said that he will be with us
till the end of time? How can we fear for the world in time of all kinds of
threats? Did he not make this world and set it on its foundation? He asks, ‘Why
are you afraid, you of little faith?’
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Encountering Jesus
|
Sharing the message of the Gospel always comes down to one thing:
a personal encounter with Jesus Christ through his word, his presence in the
Eucharist, and his presence in other people.
June
21
St. Aloysius Gonzaga
(1568-1591)
St. Aloysius Gonzaga
(1568-1591)
The Lord can make saints anywhere, even amid the brutality and
license of Renaissance life. Florence was the “mother of piety” for Aloysius
Gonzaga despite his exposure to a “society of fraud, dagger, poison and lust.”
As a son of a princely family, he grew up in royal courts and army camps. His
father wanted Aloysius to be a military hero.
At age
seven he experienced a profound spiritual quickening. His prayers included the
Office of Mary, the psalms and other devotions. At age nine he came from his
hometown of Castiglione to Florence to be educated; by age 11 he was teaching
catechism to poor children, fasting three days a week and practicing great
austerities. When he was 13 years old he traveled with his parents and the
Empress of Austria to Spain and acted as a page in the court of Philip II. The
more Aloysius saw of court life, the more disillusioned he became, seeking
relief in learning about the lives of saints.
A book
about the experience of Jesuit missionaries in India suggested to him the idea
of entering the Society of Jesus, and in Spain his decision became final. Now
began a four-year contest with his father. Eminent churchmen and laypeople were
pressed into service to persuade him to remain in his “normal” vocation.
Finally he prevailed, was allowed to renounce his right to succession and was
received into the Jesuit novitiate.
Like
other seminarians, Aloysius was faced with a new kind of penance—that of
accepting different ideas about the exact nature of penance. He was obliged to
eat more, to take recreation with the other students. He was forbidden to pray
except at stated times. He spent four years in the study of philosophy and had
St. Robert Bellarmine (September 17) as his spiritual adviser.
In 1591,
a plague struck Rome. The Jesuits opened a hospital of their own. The general
himself and many other Jesuits rendered personal service. Because he nursed
patients, washing them and making their beds, Aloysius caught the disease
himself. A fever persisted after his recovery and he was so weak he could
scarcely rise from bed. Yet, he maintained his great discipline of prayer,
knowing that he would die within the octave of Corpus Christi, three months
later, at the age of 23.
Comment:
As a saint who fasted, scourged himself, sought solitude and prayer and did not look on the faces of women, Aloysius seems an unlikely patron of youth in a society where asceticism is confined to training camps of football teams and boxers, and sexual permissiveness has little left to permit. Can an overweight and air-conditioned society deprive itself of anything? It will when it discovers a reason, as Aloysius did. The motivation for letting God purify us is the experience of God loving us, in prayer.
As a saint who fasted, scourged himself, sought solitude and prayer and did not look on the faces of women, Aloysius seems an unlikely patron of youth in a society where asceticism is confined to training camps of football teams and boxers, and sexual permissiveness has little left to permit. Can an overweight and air-conditioned society deprive itself of anything? It will when it discovers a reason, as Aloysius did. The motivation for letting God purify us is the experience of God loving us, in prayer.
Quote:
"When we stand praying, beloved brethren, we ought to be watchful and earnest with our whole heart, intent on our prayers. Let all carnal and worldly thoughts pass away, nor let the soul at that time think on anything except the object of its prayer" (St. Cyprian, On the Lord's Prayer, 31).
"When we stand praying, beloved brethren, we ought to be watchful and earnest with our whole heart, intent on our prayers. Let all carnal and worldly thoughts pass away, nor let the soul at that time think on anything except the object of its prayer" (St. Cyprian, On the Lord's Prayer, 31).
Patron Saint of:
Catholic youth
Teenagers
Youth
Catholic youth
Teenagers
Youth
LECTIO DIVINA:
12TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (B)
Lectio:
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Jesus calms the storm
Jesus sleeps in our boat
Mark 4:35-41
Jesus sleeps in our boat
Mark 4:35-41
1. Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that you read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.
Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that you read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.
2. Reading
a) A key to the reading:
There are days when life is like a small boat lost among the
waves of a rough sea. Everything around us looks dark, a storm is brewing. God
is hidden, Jesus is absent, no one close to us can help, encourage. One feels
like giving up!
Let us listen to the story of the calmed storm. As we read, let us pretend to be on the boat with Jesus and the disciples. Let us try to live with them what is happening and pay attention to Jesus’ attitude and the reaction of the disciples.
Let us listen to the story of the calmed storm. As we read, let us pretend to be on the boat with Jesus and the disciples. Let us try to live with them what is happening and pay attention to Jesus’ attitude and the reaction of the disciples.
b) A division of the text to help us with the reading:
Mark 4:35-36: Jesus decides to cross over to the other side of
the lake
Mark
4:37-38: A sudden storm endangers the life of all
Mark 4:39-40: Jesus calms the storm and criticises the lack of faith
Mark 4:41: Fear and lack of understanding on the part of the disciples
Mark 4:39-40: Jesus calms the storm and criticises the lack of faith
Mark 4:41: Fear and lack of understanding on the part of the disciples
c)
Text:
35 With
the coming of evening that same day, he said to them, 'Let us cross over to the
other side.' 36 And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in
the boat; and there were other boats with him. 37 Then it began to blow a great
gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped.
38 But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep. 39 They woke him
and said to him, 'Master, do you not care? We are lost!' And he woke up and
rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Quiet now! Be calm!' And the wind
dropped, and there followed a great calm. 40 Then he said to them, 'Why are you
so frightened? Have you still no faith?' 41 They were overcome with awe and
said to one another, 'Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.'
3. A
moment of prayerful silence
so that
the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.
4. Some
questions
to help
us in our personal reflection.
a) What
pleased you most in this text? Why?
b) What situation do Jesus and his disciples find themselves in, and what is their reaction?
c) What was the stormy sea in the times of Jesus? What is the stormy sea in the days Mark is writing his Gospel? What is the stormy sea for you today?
d) Read Isaiah 43:2 and Psalm 107(106),25-30, and compare these texts with the passage of the calmed storm. What can you conclude?
e) What does all this mean in our life today?
b) What situation do Jesus and his disciples find themselves in, and what is their reaction?
c) What was the stormy sea in the times of Jesus? What is the stormy sea in the days Mark is writing his Gospel? What is the stormy sea for you today?
d) Read Isaiah 43:2 and Psalm 107(106),25-30, and compare these texts with the passage of the calmed storm. What can you conclude?
e) What does all this mean in our life today?
5. For
those who wish to go deeper into the theme
a) The
context that sheds light on the text:
A
beautiful painting hung on a well-lit wall seems even more beautiful thanks to
the colours of the wall that underscores the beauty. The same is true of the
painting of the calmed storm. The wall of the context makes it more beautiful.
Mark has just narrated two parables that bring out the mystery of the Kingdom
present in the things of life (Mk 4:1-34). Now he begins to talk of the mystery
of the Kingdom as present in the power exercised by Jesus for his disciples,
for people and, above all, for the excluded and marginalized. Let us take a
look at the sequence: Mark begins by presenting a Jesus who overcomes the sea,
the symbol of chaos. In Jesus there is the power of a creator! (Mk 4:35-41).
Immediately after that he shows a Jesus who overcomes and drives out evil
spirits. In him there is a liberating power! (Mk 5:1-20). Finally, he describes
at length the manner in which Jesus overcomes impurity and death. In him there
is the power of life! (Mk 5:21-43). In Jesus there is a creating power that
liberates, purifies and communicates life to those who approach him!
Mark is writing for the persecuted communities of the 70’s who feel like a small boat lost on the sea of life, with little hope of being able to reach the desired harbour of peace. Jesus seems to be asleep in their boat, because they do not feel the divine power to save them from persecution. In that desperate situation, Mark brings together various passages that underline the power with which Jesus is present in the communities. It is the victorious Jesus! They need not fear. This is the aim of the story of the calmed storm.
Mark is writing for the persecuted communities of the 70’s who feel like a small boat lost on the sea of life, with little hope of being able to reach the desired harbour of peace. Jesus seems to be asleep in their boat, because they do not feel the divine power to save them from persecution. In that desperate situation, Mark brings together various passages that underline the power with which Jesus is present in the communities. It is the victorious Jesus! They need not fear. This is the aim of the story of the calmed storm.
b) A
commentary on the text:
Mark
4:35-36: The point of departure: “Let us cross
over to the other side”.
It had been a heavy day with much work. There were so many people that Jesus, so as not to be crushed by the crowd, had to go into a boat to teach them by means of a parable (Mk 4:1). There were days when there was not even time to eat (Mk 3:20). When he finished telling the people the parable, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us cross over to the other side!” And there and then, they took him in the boat. Jesus was so tired that he stretched out and went to sleep. This is the first frame that Mark presents to us. A beautiful frame and quite human.
It had been a heavy day with much work. There were so many people that Jesus, so as not to be crushed by the crowd, had to go into a boat to teach them by means of a parable (Mk 4:1). There were days when there was not even time to eat (Mk 3:20). When he finished telling the people the parable, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us cross over to the other side!” And there and then, they took him in the boat. Jesus was so tired that he stretched out and went to sleep. This is the first frame that Mark presents to us. A beautiful frame and quite human.
Mark
4,37-38: The desperate situation: “Do you not
care? We are lost!
The lake of Galilee is close to high mountains. Sometimes between the cracks in the rocks the wind blows hard on the lake and causes sudden storms. This is what happened. A strong wind blew on the sea causing a storm. The boat filled with water! The disciples were experienced fishermen. If they thought they were about to perish, then this meant that the situation was really dangerous! Jesus is not aware of anything and goes on sleeping. This deep sleep is not only the sign of immense weariness, it is also an expression of his quiet faith in God. The contrast between Jesus’ attitude and that of the two disciples is great!
The lake of Galilee is close to high mountains. Sometimes between the cracks in the rocks the wind blows hard on the lake and causes sudden storms. This is what happened. A strong wind blew on the sea causing a storm. The boat filled with water! The disciples were experienced fishermen. If they thought they were about to perish, then this meant that the situation was really dangerous! Jesus is not aware of anything and goes on sleeping. This deep sleep is not only the sign of immense weariness, it is also an expression of his quiet faith in God. The contrast between Jesus’ attitude and that of the two disciples is great!
Mark
4:9-40: Jesus’ reaction: “Have you still no
faith?”
Jesus wakes up not because of the waves but because of the desperate cry of the disciples: “Master! Do you not care? We are lost!” Jesus gets up. First he faces the sea and says: “Quiet now! Be calm!” And the sea calms down. Then he turns to his disciples and says to them: “Why are you so frightened? Have you still no faith?” The impression one gets is that the sea did not need to be calmed since there was no danger. It is like when one goes to a house and a little dog by the side of the master of the house, barks at the guest. There is no need to be afraid because the master is there to control the situation.
The passage of the calmed storm recalls the exodus, when the crowd, without any fear, crossed the waters of the sea (Ex 14,22). It recalls the prophet Isaiah who said to the crowd: “should you pass through the waters, I shall be with you!” (Is 43:2). Jesus retraces the passage and fulfils it in the prophecy made in the Psalm when it says: “They cried out to Yahweh in their distress, he rescued them from their plight, he reduced the storm to a calm, and all the waters subsided, and he brought them, overjoyed at the stillness, to the port where they were bound!” (Ps 107(106):28-30).
Jesus wakes up not because of the waves but because of the desperate cry of the disciples: “Master! Do you not care? We are lost!” Jesus gets up. First he faces the sea and says: “Quiet now! Be calm!” And the sea calms down. Then he turns to his disciples and says to them: “Why are you so frightened? Have you still no faith?” The impression one gets is that the sea did not need to be calmed since there was no danger. It is like when one goes to a house and a little dog by the side of the master of the house, barks at the guest. There is no need to be afraid because the master is there to control the situation.
The passage of the calmed storm recalls the exodus, when the crowd, without any fear, crossed the waters of the sea (Ex 14,22). It recalls the prophet Isaiah who said to the crowd: “should you pass through the waters, I shall be with you!” (Is 43:2). Jesus retraces the passage and fulfils it in the prophecy made in the Psalm when it says: “They cried out to Yahweh in their distress, he rescued them from their plight, he reduced the storm to a calm, and all the waters subsided, and he brought them, overjoyed at the stillness, to the port where they were bound!” (Ps 107(106):28-30).
Mark
4:41: The lack of knowledge of the disciples: “Who can this
be?”
Jesus calms the sea and says: “Have you still no faith?” The disciples do not know what to say in reply and ask themselves “Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him!” To them Jesus seems to be a stranger! In spite of the long time spent together, they do not really know who he is. Who can this be? With this question occupying their minds, the communities continued to read. And until today, this same question urges us to continue reading the Gospel. This is the desire to know Jesus more and more in our lives.
Jesus calms the sea and says: “Have you still no faith?” The disciples do not know what to say in reply and ask themselves “Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him!” To them Jesus seems to be a stranger! In spite of the long time spent together, they do not really know who he is. Who can this be? With this question occupying their minds, the communities continued to read. And until today, this same question urges us to continue reading the Gospel. This is the desire to know Jesus more and more in our lives.
c)
Further information: Who is Jesus?
Names
and titles given to Jesus:
Mark
begins his Gospel with the words: “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Son
of God” (Mk 1:1). At the end, at the time of the death of Jesus, a
pagan soldier exclaims: “In truth this man was Son
of God!” (Mk 15:39) Thus both at the beginning and the end of the
Gospel, Jesus is called Son of God. Between the beginning and the end, many
other names are attributed to Jesus, more that twenty! Here is the list of
names and titles attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of Mark between the
expression Son of God at the beginning (Mk 1:1) and
that at the end (Mk 15:39):
* Messiah, Christ (that is, anointed) (Mk 1:1; 8:29; 14:61; 15:32)
* Lord (Mk 1:3; 5:19; 11:3)
* Beloved son (Mk 1:11; 9:7)
* Holy one of God (Mk 1:24)
* Nazarene (Mk 1:24; 10:47; 14:67; 16:6)
* Son of Man (Mk 2:10.28; 8:31.38; 9:9.12.31; 10:33.45; 13:26; 14:21.21.41.62)
* Bridegroom (Mk 2:19)
* Son of God (Mk 3:11)
* Son of the Most High (Mk 5:7)
* Carpenter (Mk 6:3)
* Son of Mary (Mk 6:3)
* Prophet (Mk 6:4.15; 8:28)
* Master (frequently)
* Good Master (Mk 10:17)
* Son of David (Mk 10:47.48; 12:35-37)
* Rabbunì (Mk 10:51)
* Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord (Mk 11:9)
* Rabbi (Mk 11:21)
* Son (Mk 13:32)
* Shepherd (Mk 14:27)
* Son of the Blessed One (Mk 14: 61)
* King of the Jews (Mk 15:2.9.18.26)
* King of Israel (Mk 15:32)
* Messiah, Christ (that is, anointed) (Mk 1:1; 8:29; 14:61; 15:32)
* Lord (Mk 1:3; 5:19; 11:3)
* Beloved son (Mk 1:11; 9:7)
* Holy one of God (Mk 1:24)
* Nazarene (Mk 1:24; 10:47; 14:67; 16:6)
* Son of Man (Mk 2:10.28; 8:31.38; 9:9.12.31; 10:33.45; 13:26; 14:21.21.41.62)
* Bridegroom (Mk 2:19)
* Son of God (Mk 3:11)
* Son of the Most High (Mk 5:7)
* Carpenter (Mk 6:3)
* Son of Mary (Mk 6:3)
* Prophet (Mk 6:4.15; 8:28)
* Master (frequently)
* Good Master (Mk 10:17)
* Son of David (Mk 10:47.48; 12:35-37)
* Rabbunì (Mk 10:51)
* Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord (Mk 11:9)
* Rabbi (Mk 11:21)
* Son (Mk 13:32)
* Shepherd (Mk 14:27)
* Son of the Blessed One (Mk 14: 61)
* King of the Jews (Mk 15:2.9.18.26)
* King of Israel (Mk 15:32)
Jesus
is greater than any of his titles or names:
Each
name, title or attribute is an attempt to express what Jesus meant for some
people. But a name, no matter how nice, will never unveil the mystery of a
person and much less of the person of Jesus. Besides, some of these names, even
the most important and traditional ones are questioned and doubted by Jesus
himself. Thus, as we read on the Gospel, Mark constrains us to review our ideas
and to ask ourselves each time once more: “In the last analysis, who is Jesus for
me, for us?”
i) Some hoped that the Messiah would be the “Holy One of God” (Mk 1:24), that is a High Priest. The devil alludes to this hope, but Jesus orders him to keep silent! (Mk 1:24-25)
ii) Others hoped that the Messiah would be the Son of David. But Jesus himself questions this title: “How can the Scribes maintain that the Christ is the son of David? David himself calls him Lord” (Mk 12:35-37).
iii) Others hoped for a Messiah King. But when Pilate asks Jesus whether he is a king, Jesus neither affirms nor denies, but replies: “It is you who say it” (Mk 15:2). And when he was speaking of kings and rulers he insisted with his disciples: “Among you this is not to happen” (Mk 10:42-43).
iv) The same goes for the title of Messiah. Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah. But when Jesus draws the consequences and begins to speak of the cross, Peter will have none of it (Mk 8:31-33). Jesus is the Messiah, but not the kind that Peter imagined.
v) People possessed by evil spirits called Jesus “Son of God” (Mk 3:11) and “Son of the Most High” (Mk 5:7). But Jesus ordered the evil spirits to keep silent and leave the persons possessed (Mk 3:12; 5,8). Before the court, the enemies accuse Jesus and ask: “Are you the Christ, the Son of Blessed One?” He replies: “I am! And you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with clouds of heaven” (Mk 14:62). When he has to confirm the name, Jesus does not say that he is the Son of God, but that he is the Son of Man. Is this the same thing? One thing is sure: Jesus is not the Son of God in the way that the evil spirits (Mk 3:11; 5:7) and his enemies imagine (Mk 14:61). Then how is he the Son of God? The question remains an open ended one in the minds of the people, of the disciples and the readers!
Then, who is Jesus? The more we read the Gospel of Mark, the more all titles and criteria fall apart. Jesus is not any of these names, does not fit into any scheme, any title. He is greater than all of these. The more we read, the more we give up the idea of framing Jesus into some preconceived concept and accept him as he presents himself. Love seduces, the head does not! It is better to bow one’s head and adore and not fear when the sea breaks into a storm!
i) Some hoped that the Messiah would be the “Holy One of God” (Mk 1:24), that is a High Priest. The devil alludes to this hope, but Jesus orders him to keep silent! (Mk 1:24-25)
ii) Others hoped that the Messiah would be the Son of David. But Jesus himself questions this title: “How can the Scribes maintain that the Christ is the son of David? David himself calls him Lord” (Mk 12:35-37).
iii) Others hoped for a Messiah King. But when Pilate asks Jesus whether he is a king, Jesus neither affirms nor denies, but replies: “It is you who say it” (Mk 15:2). And when he was speaking of kings and rulers he insisted with his disciples: “Among you this is not to happen” (Mk 10:42-43).
iv) The same goes for the title of Messiah. Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah. But when Jesus draws the consequences and begins to speak of the cross, Peter will have none of it (Mk 8:31-33). Jesus is the Messiah, but not the kind that Peter imagined.
v) People possessed by evil spirits called Jesus “Son of God” (Mk 3:11) and “Son of the Most High” (Mk 5:7). But Jesus ordered the evil spirits to keep silent and leave the persons possessed (Mk 3:12; 5,8). Before the court, the enemies accuse Jesus and ask: “Are you the Christ, the Son of Blessed One?” He replies: “I am! And you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with clouds of heaven” (Mk 14:62). When he has to confirm the name, Jesus does not say that he is the Son of God, but that he is the Son of Man. Is this the same thing? One thing is sure: Jesus is not the Son of God in the way that the evil spirits (Mk 3:11; 5:7) and his enemies imagine (Mk 14:61). Then how is he the Son of God? The question remains an open ended one in the minds of the people, of the disciples and the readers!
Then, who is Jesus? The more we read the Gospel of Mark, the more all titles and criteria fall apart. Jesus is not any of these names, does not fit into any scheme, any title. He is greater than all of these. The more we read, the more we give up the idea of framing Jesus into some preconceived concept and accept him as he presents himself. Love seduces, the head does not! It is better to bow one’s head and adore and not fear when the sea breaks into a storm!
6.
Praying with Psalm 107 (106): 21-43
If the
waters stir, God will protect us!
Let
them thank Yahweh for his faithful love,
for his wonders for the children of Adam!
Let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices,
and recount with shouts of joy what he has done!
for his wonders for the children of Adam!
Let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices,
and recount with shouts of joy what he has done!
Voyagers
on the sea in ships,
plying their trade on the great ocean,
have seen the works of Yahweh,
his wonders in the deep.
By his word he raised a storm-wind,
lashing up towering waves.
Up to the sky then down to the depths!
Their stomachs were turned to water;
they staggered and reeled like drunkards,
and all their skill went under.
plying their trade on the great ocean,
have seen the works of Yahweh,
his wonders in the deep.
By his word he raised a storm-wind,
lashing up towering waves.
Up to the sky then down to the depths!
Their stomachs were turned to water;
they staggered and reeled like drunkards,
and all their skill went under.
They
cried out to Yahweh in their distress,
he rescued them from their plight,
he reduced the storm to a calm,
and all the waters subsided,
and he brought them, overjoyed at the stillness,
to the port where they were bound.
he rescued them from their plight,
he reduced the storm to a calm,
and all the waters subsided,
and he brought them, overjoyed at the stillness,
to the port where they were bound.
Let
them thank Yahweh for his faithful love,
for his wonders for the children of Adam!
Let them extol him in the assembly of the people,
and praise him in the council of elders.
for his wonders for the children of Adam!
Let them extol him in the assembly of the people,
and praise him in the council of elders.
He has
turned rivers into desert,
bubbling springs into arid ground,
fertile country into salt-flats,
because the people living there were evil.
But he has turned desert into stretches of water,
arid ground into bubbling springs,
and has given the hungry a home,
where they have built themselves a city.
bubbling springs into arid ground,
fertile country into salt-flats,
because the people living there were evil.
But he has turned desert into stretches of water,
arid ground into bubbling springs,
and has given the hungry a home,
where they have built themselves a city.
There
they sow fields and plant vines,
and reap a harvest of their produce.
He blesses them and their numbers increase,
he keeps their cattle at full strength.
Their numbers had fallen, they had grown weak,
under pressure of disaster and hardship;
he covered princes in contempt,
left them to wander in trackless wastes.
and reap a harvest of their produce.
He blesses them and their numbers increase,
he keeps their cattle at full strength.
Their numbers had fallen, they had grown weak,
under pressure of disaster and hardship;
he covered princes in contempt,
left them to wander in trackless wastes.
But the
needy he raises from their misery,
makes their families as numerous as sheep.
At the sight the honest rejoice,
and the wicked have nothing to say.
Who is wise? Such a one should take this to heart,
and come to understand Yahweh's faithful love.
makes their families as numerous as sheep.
At the sight the honest rejoice,
and the wicked have nothing to say.
Who is wise? Such a one should take this to heart,
and come to understand Yahweh's faithful love.
7.
Final Prayer
Lord
Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to understand better the will
of the Father. May your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength
to practice that which your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, your
mother, not only listen to but also practice the Word. You who live and reign
with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
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