There Was Great Calm

January 31, 2009

Memorial of St. John Bosco, priest

Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

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. Mark 4:38-39

Piety

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Study

In the two stories we hear today, who had the greater faith:
1) Abraham who never had a chance to walk the earth with Jesus or
2) The disciples who went everywhere with Jesus, witnessed the miracles, asked him about them, learned from the parables, and more?

Abraham realized what he hoped for. He had a son. He had descendants who reached to promised land. But Abraham never saw Jesus turn water into wine. He never fed 5,000 people with two loaves of bread and five fishes. He never saw the lepers healed, the deaf hear, the blind see or Lazarus rise after being dead for four days. Abraham never had the kind of evidence seen by the apostles during Jesus’ public ministry. Yet he had faith to take his son to the altar and was prepared to sacrifice Isaac because God had asked him to do it.

Sometimes, what is right under our noses, what we can see, hear, feel and touch, we take for granted. As the pace of life spins around us, many people are losing their economic footing. Jobs are lost. Businesses are closing. Some people are “bailing out” and others are asking for a bucket.

If Jesus were here in this perfect storm of economic, political and social issues, we would probably find him in the same position the disciples found him in today’s Gospel…asleep in the stern of the boat, curled up on a cushion. But ever-ready to stand up and come to our aid if we only ask Him.

The image of the scene in the boat stands in stark contrast to the image in the Garden of Gethsemane. When the apostles face the conflict of man against nature, they are afraid and turn to Jesus. He wake up and comes to their aid.

When Jesus faces the storm of anger from the religious and political leaders of his day, Jesus turns to the Father in prayer. However, while he faces this storm, the disciples who are with him can not stay awake for a few minutes. Three times, Jesus finds his friends continually falling asleep and the hour for his glory approaches.

Action

Is there great calm in your life?

Jesus is the great calm. So how can we help Jesus move in with us and share that peace and tranquility? He wants to live with us, in us and through us. Yet we have a hard time sitting still with God for even 20 minutes every day. But he is on call for us whenever we ask.

Sit quietly today and imagine that you are on that boat. Ask God for the faith that He will quiet whatever seas are swirling around you.

Sit quietly.

Breathe deeply.

Pray to God.

Listen attentively.

Arise.