Storm at Sea

                   19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

                  A cycle

 

      

Today’s first reading is from the first Book of Kings and deals with an episode from the life of the prophet Elijah, the greatest of all the Prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures. Elijah  had been fleeing from enemies who sought to kill him, and finally had found refuge in a cave on Mt. Horeb. He feels alone and abandoned but then hears a voice. He is told to go to the entrance of the cave and wait for the Lord. 

 

Immediately, he encounters a strong wind with hurricane like force, then an earthquake, and then fire. But the Lord was not in these terrible forces of nature. Finally, Elijah heard a “tiny whispering sound” and knew that the Lord was present. Like all Jews and unlike the gentiles Elijah knew that God was not a God of earthquake, wind, or fire. Actually, by the time of Jesus most educated Greeks and Romans had ceased to believe in the gods of nature. Their philosophers and poets had even begun to laugh at them. One Roman poet named Lucretius, who died only 50 years before the birth of Jesus, insisted that things like earthquakes and storms had natural causes, and were not caused by angry gods.

 

In today’s Gospel Jesus seems equally unconcerned with the forces of nature. Matthew relates that a strong wind had come up in the middle of the night that prevented the disciples’ boat from making any progress. Then, Jesus, who had stayed behind to pray,  comes to them walking on the water. It was this apparition that really frightened them for they thought it was a ghost. Jesus tried to calm them:

 

Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.

 

Finding it hard to believe, Peter responds, “Lord, if it is you command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus responds, “Come”.

 

The rest of the story is familiar. Peter starts out, but then, like all of us, he doubts and starts to sink. Fortunately, he cries out, “Lord, save me,” and Jesus gives him His hand and says the famous words, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Then they both get into the boat and the wind dies down.  

 

How can we not sympathize with St. Peter here? How many of us have taken the plunge only to falter on the way and let our doubts overcome us? How can we not see that our Lord’s words are addressed to us all as we go through the storms of life? For some the story of the storm at sea is a great and awesome miracle. For others, it is a sign of something else like the way Jesus comes to us in the Eucharist. But for me it is a simple human story of belief, doubt, and then rescue. Rather than castigate St. Peter for his doubt, the Church has always held him up as a model for us.

 

In a way, this message is reflected in today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. Paul is so distraught by the fact that many of his Jewish brethren cannot follow Christ. He glories in his Jewish heritage.

 

They are Israelites;

Theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,

The giving of the law, the worship and the promises;

Theirs the patriarchs, and from them,

According to the flesh, is the Christ…

 

He says that he would be willing to give up everything for their sake. We should not take Paul’s words as just applying to Jews 2000 years ago. For him, Israel was his family, his history, his culture, and his whole life. How many of us have family and friends who have lost their faith, their culture, and rich history and tradition? What are we to do? We can only reach out our hands to them. We can only be willing to give up everything for their sake.

###

Reading 1. I Kings 19: 9a, 11-13a

Reading II. Romans 9: 1-5

Gospel. Matthew 14: 22-33 (Why did you doubt?)

 

Image Note: Storm at Sea Stained Glass window. Our Lady of the Assumption church, Fairfield, CT

Storm at Sea

                   12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

                  B cycle

 

      

Starting last week and continuing on for this week and the weeks to come, we will be going through the gospel of Mark almost word for word. Last week we saw Jesus as a teacher who used parables as a way to convey his core message even though many of his hearers might have been mystified. Next week, we will see Jesus, not so much as a teacher, but as a healer who can perform marvelous works. This week’s gospel, however, gives us a hint of something more.

 

Today’s first reading from the book of Job provides an introduction. Job’s problems have caused him to have a crisis of faith. A series of disasters have caused him to question the ability of the Lord to help him. Perhaps Job’s easy familiarity with the Lord has caused him to underestimate just what God can do. In today’s passage the biblical author puts these words into the mouth of the Lord concerning the awesome power of the sea and wind.

 

         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.

 

Is it any wonder that the Church used this passage from Job to introduce today’s gospel account of the storm on the Sea of Galilee? After spending a day teaching the crowds about the Kingdom of God, Jesus tells the disciples that he wants to sail to the other side of the large inland sea. It was evening and as they were crossing a violent squall came up. Squall is a mild word since the word Mark uses actually suggests a hurricane. It seems like an eyewitness account. Mark even mentions the cushion that Jesus used to rest his head while sleeping in the stern of the boat.

 

Commentators tell us that these sudden violent storms are not unusual on the Sea of Galilee. Often, they go as soon as they come. So, I suppose it might be easy for some to consider the calming of the storm as a natural rather than a miraculous event. Nevertheless, the disciples were fishermen with years of experience and there is no doubting that they were terrified by the severity of the storm.

 

It is hard for many people to accept the miracles recorded in Scripture. Some would rather explain them away as purely natural events. Many prefer to regard Jesus as a wonderful teacher and healer and see no need for miracles. For others, the miracles strain belief and often cause them to lose their faith. They prefer to place their faith in science and reason. 

 

It might help to put miracles like the storm at sea in context. Most of chapter 4 of Mark’s gospel is concerned with parables like the Sower and the Seed, or the one about the mustard seed that we heard last week. People, even the apostles, did not understand the parables. Nevertheless, Jesus said He would only speak in parables. Apparently, words would not be enough. It would take His whole life, death and resurrection before people could really understand Him and His mission.

 

It is obvious that even the Apostles in the boat did not understand what had happened. After the storm has been quelled, they ask themselves, “Who, then, is this that even the wind and sea obey him?” 

 

Throughout the gospels we will see that even those closest to Jesus found it hard to understand that He was anything more than a teacher or healer. Even after the Resurrection, they did not fully understand.

 

Today’s second reading from St. Paul indicates that even the early Christian converts at Corinth did not fully understand. He tells them and us that we are no longer in the flesh. By flesh he means our old way of living only for ourselves. Our old life has died with Christ but now we have a new life with Him, now and forever. What a miracle!

 

If only we could understand.

 

###

Reading 1.  Job 38:1, 8-11

Reading II. 2 Corinthians 5: 14-17

Gospel. Mark 4: 35-41 (Why are you terrified?)

Storm at Sea

                   19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

                  A cycle

 

Storm at Sea
Stained Glass Window
Assumption church
Fairfield, CT.

      

Today’s first reading is from the first Book of Kings and deals with an episode from the life of the prophet Elijah, the greatest of all the Prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures. Elijah  had been fleeing from enemies who sought to kill him, and finally had found refuge in a cave on Mt. Horeb. He feels alone and abandoned but then hears a voice. He is told to go to the entrance of the cave and wait for the Lord. 

 

Immediately, he encounters a strong wind with hurricane like force, then an earthquake, and then fire. But the Lord was not in these terrible forces of nature. Finally, Elijah heard a “tiny whispering sound” and knew that the Lord was present. Like all Jews and unlike the gentiles Elijah knew that God was not a God of earthquake, wind, or fire. Actually, by the time of Jesus most educated Greeks and Romans had ceased to believe in the gods of nature. Their philosophers and poets had even begun to laugh at them. One Roman poet named Lucretius, who died only 50 years before the birth of Jesus, insisted that things like earthquakes and storms had natural causes, and were not caused by angry gods.

 

In today’s Gospel Jesus seems equally unconcerned with the forces of nature. Matthew relates that a strong wind had come up in the middle of the night that prevented the disciples’ boat from making any progress. Then, Jesus, who had stayed behind to pray,  comes to them walking on the water. It was this apparition that really frightened them for they thought it was a ghost. Jesus tried to calm them:

 

Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.

 

Finding it hard to believe, Peter responds, “Lord, if it is you command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus responds, “Come”.

 

The rest of the story is familiar. Peter starts out, but then, like all of us, he doubts and starts to sink. Fortunately, he cries out, “Lord, save me,” and Jesus gives him His hand and says the famous words, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Then they both get into the boat and the wind dies down.  

 

How can we not sympathize with St. Peter here? How many of us have taken the plunge only to falter on the way and let our doubts overcome us? How can we not see that our Lord’s words are addressed to us all as we go through the storms of life? For some the story of the storm at sea is a great and awesome miracle. For others, it is a sign of something else like the way Jesus comes to us in the Eucharist. But for me it is a simple human story of belief, doubt, and then rescue. Rather than castigate St. Peter for his doubt, the Church has always held him up as a model for us.

 

In a way, this message is reflected in today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. Paul is so distraught by the fact that many of his Jewish brethren cannot follow Christ. He glories in his Jewish heritage.

 

They are Israelites;

Theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,

The giving of the law, the worship and the promises;

Theirs the patriarchs, and from them,

According to the flesh, is the Christ…

 

He says that he would be willing to give up everything for their sake. We should not take Paul’s words as just applying to Jews 2000 years ago. For him, Israel was his family, his history, his culture, and his whole life. How many of us have family and friends who have lost their faith, their culture, and rich history and tradition? What are we to do? We can only reach out our hands to them. We can only be willing to give up everything for their sake.

 

### 

Reading 1. I Kings 19: 9a, 11-13a

Reading II. Romans 9: 1-5

Gospel. Matthew 14: 22-33 (Why did you doubt?) 

Storm at Sea

                  12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

                

 

      

Starting last week and continuing on for this week and the weeks to come, we will be going through the gospel of Mark almost word for word. Last week we saw Jesus as a teacher who used parables as a way to convey his core message even though many of his hearers might have been mystified. Next week, we will see Jesus, not so much as a teacher, but as a healer who can perform marvelous works. This week’s gospel, however, gives us a hint of something more.

 

Today’s first reading from the book of Job provides an introduction. Job’s problems have caused him to have a crisis of faith. A series of disasters have caused him to question the ability of the Lord to help him. Perhaps Job’s easy familiarity with the Lord has caused him to underestimate just what God can do. In today’s passage the biblical author puts these words into the mouth of the Lord concerning the awesome power of the sea and wind.

 

      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.

 

Is it any wonder that the Church used this passage from Job to introduce today’s gospel account of the storm on the Sea of Galilee? After spending a day teaching the crowds about the Kingdom of God, Jesus tells the disciples that he wants to sail to the other side of the large inland sea. It was evening as they were crossing and a violent squall came up. Squall is a mild word since the word Mark uses actually suggests a hurricane. It seems like an eyewitness account. Mark even mentions the cushion that Jesus used to rest his head while sleeping in the stern of the boat.

 

Commentators tell us that these sudden violent storms are not unusual on the Sea of Galilee. Often, they go as soon as they come. So, I suppose it might be easy for some to consider the calming of the storm as a natural rather than a miraculous event. Nevertheless, the disciples were fishermen with years of experience and there is no doubting that they were terrified by the severity of the storm.

 

It is hard for many people to accept the miracles recorded in Scripture. Some would rather explain them away as purely natural events. Many prefer to regard Jesus as a wonderful teacher and healer and see no need for miracles. For others, the miracles strain belief and often cause them to lose their faith. They prefer to place their faith in science and reason. 

 

It might help to put miracles like the storm at sea in context. Most of chapter 4 of Mark’s gospel is concerned with parables like the Sower and the Seed, or the one about the mustard seed that we heard last week. People, even the apostles, did not understand the parables. Nevertheless, Jesus said He would only speak in parables. Apparently, words would not be enough. It would take His whole life, death and resurrection before people could really understand Him and His mission.

 

It is obvious that even the Apostles in the boat did not understand what had happened. After the storm has been quelled, they ask themselves, “Who, then, is this that even the wind and sea obey him?” 

 

Throughout the gospels we will see that even those closest to Jesus found it hard to understand that He was anything more than a teacher or healer. Even after the Resurrection, they did not fully understand.

 

Today’s second reading from St. Paul indicates that even the early Christian converts at Corinth did not fully understand. He tells them and us that we are no longer in the flesh. By flesh he means our old way of living only for ourselves. Our old life has died with Christ but now we have a new life with Him, now and forever. What a miracle!

 

If only we could understand.

 

###

Reading 1.  Job 38:1, 8-11

Reading II. 2 Corinthians 5: 14-17

Gospel. Mark 4: 35-41 (Why are you terrified?) 

The Storm at Sea

                                    19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

                                   

Storm at Sea
Stained Glass Window
Assumption church
Fairfield, CT*

           

Today’s first reading is from the first Book of Kings and deals with an episode from the life of the prophet Elijah, the greatest of all the Prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures. Elijah  had been fleeing from enemies who sought to kill him, and finally had found refuge in a cave on Mt. Horeb. He feels alone and abandoned but then hears a voice. He is told to go to the entrance of the cave and wait for the Lord.

Immediately, he encounters a strong wind with hurricane like force, then an earthquake, and then fire. But the Lord was not in these terrible forces of nature. Finally, Elijah heard a “tiny whispering sound” and knew that the Lord was present. Like all Jews and unlike the gentiles Elijah knew that God was not a God of earthquake, wind, or fire. Actually, by the time of Jesus most educated Greeks and Romans had ceased to believe in the gods of nature. Their philosophers and poets had even begun to laugh at them. One Roman poet named Lucretius, who died only 50 years before the birth of Jesus, insisted that things like earthquakes and storms had natural causes, and were not caused by angry gods.

In today’s Gospel Jesus seems equally unconcerned with the forces of nature. Matthew relates that a strong wind had come up in the middle of the night that prevented the disciples’ boat from making any progress. Then, Jesus, who had stayed behind to pray,  comes to them walking on the water. It was this apparition that really frightened them for they thought it was a ghost. Jesus tried to calm them:

Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.

Finding it hard to believe, Peter responds, “Lord, if it is you command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus responds, “Come”.

The rest of the story is familiar. Peter starts out, but then, like all of us, he doubts and starts to sink. Fortunately, he cries out, “Lord, save me,” and Jesus gives him His hand and says the famous words, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Then they both get into the boat and the wind dies down. 

How can we not sympathize with St. Peter here? How many of us have taken the plunge only to falter on the way and let our doubts overcome us? How can we not see that our Lord’s words are addressed to us all as we go through the storms of life? For some the story of the storm at sea is a great and awesome miracle. For others, it is a sign of something else, like the way Jesus comes to us in the Eucharist. But for me it is a simple human story of belief, doubt, and then rescue. Rather than castigate St. Peter for his doubt, the Church has always held him up as a model for us.

In a way, this message is reflected in today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. Paul is so distraught by the fact that many of his Jewish brethren cannot follow Christ. He glories in his Jewish heritage.

They are Israelites;

Theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,

The giving of the law, the worship and the promises;

Theirs the patriarchs, and from them,

According to the flesh, is the Christ…

He says that he would be willing to give up everything for their sake. We should not take Paul’s words as just applying to Jews 2000 years ago. For him, Israel was his family, his history, his culture, and his whole life. How many of us have family and friends who have lost their faith, their culture, and rich history and tradition? What are we to do? We can only reach out our hands to them. We can only be willing to give up everything for their sake.

### 

* Image by Melissa DeStefano. Click on image to enlarge. Our Lord reaches his hand to Peter who is sinking into the turbulent waves. Notice the lightning and the wind-blown sails in the background.

Reading 1. I Kings 19: 9a, 11-13a

Reading II. Romans 9: 1-5

Gospel. Matthew 14: 22-33 (Why did you doubt?)

Storm at Sea

                                    19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

                                    

Storm at Sea
Stained Glass Window
Assumption Church
Fairfield CT*

           

Today’s first reading is from the first Book of Kings and deals with an episode from the life of the prophet Elijah, the greatest of all the Prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures. Elijah  had been fleeing from enemies who sought to kill him, and finally had found refuge in a cave on Mt. Horeb. He feels alone and abandoned but then hears a voice. He is told to go to the entrance of the cave and wait for the Lord.

Immediately, he encounters a strong wind with hurricane like force, then an earthquake, and then fire. But the Lord was not in these terrible forces of nature. Finally, Elijah heard a “tiny whispering sound” and knew that the Lord was present. Like all Jews and unlike the Gentiles Elijah knew that God was not a God of earthquake, wind, or fire. Actually, by the time of Jesus most educated Greeks and Romans had ceased to believe in the gods of nature. Their philosophers and poets had even begun to laugh at them. One Roman poet named Lucretius, who died only 50 years before the birth of Jesus, insisted that things like earthquakes and storms had natural causes, and were not caused by angry gods.

In today’s Gospel Jesus seems equally unconcerned with the forces of nature. Matthew relates that a strong wind had come up in the middle of the night that prevented the disciples’ boat from making any progress. Then, Jesus, who had stayed behind to pray, comes to them walking on the water. It was this apparition that really frightened them for they thought it was a ghost. Jesus tries to calm them:

Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.

Finding it hard to believe, Peter responds, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus responds, “Come”.

The rest of the story is familiar. Peter starts out, but then, like all of us, he doubts and starts to sink. Fortunately, he cries out, “Lord, save me,” and Jesus gives him His hand and says the famous words, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Then they both get into the boat and the wind dies down. 

How can we not sympathize with St. Peter here? How many of us have taken the plunge only to falter on the way and let our doubts overcome us? How can we not see that our Lord’s words are addressed to us all as we go through the storms of life? For some the story of the storm at sea is a great and awesome miracle. For others, it is a sign of something else like the way Jesus comes to us in the Eucharist. But for me it is a simple human story of belief, doubt, and then rescue. Rather than castigate St. Peter for his doubt, the Church has always held him up as a model for us.

In a way, this message is reflected in today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. Paul is distraught by the fact that many of his Jewish brethren cannot follow Christ. He glories in his Jewish heritage.

They are Israelites;

Theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,

The giving of the law, the worship and the promises;

Theirs the patriarchs, and from them,

According to the flesh, is the Christ…

He says that he would be willing to give up everything for their sake. We should not take Paul’s words as just applying to Jews 2000 years ago. For him, Israel was his family, his history, his culture, and his whole life. How many of us have family and friends who have lost their faith, their culture, and rich history and tradition? What are we to do? We can only reach out our hands to them. We can only be willing to give up everything for their sake.

###

Reading 1. I Kings 19: 9a, 11-13a

Reading II. Romans 9: 1-5

Gospel. Matthew 14: 22-33 (Why did you doubt?)

*Image by Melissa DeStefano. Click on the image to enlarge. The window is a small panel but if you look closely, you will see lightning in the background, wind-blown sails, and the sea in turmoil. Peter is sinking into the water, and Jesus reaches out his hand to rescue him.