12th-Sunday-Year-B

Natural disasters like tsunami of 2004 that struck 12 countries in Asia and Africa, floodwaters of 2005 that ravaged India and Pakistan and the hurricanes like Katrina that hit North America made the whole world look on in shock and horror.  In the face of these powerful watery cataclysms of nature, doesn't it seem that the God who created the universe in all its balance and beauty has turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to the perils of humankind?  Today’s readings challenge our thinking.

We are told by the author of Job in today’s first reading (Job 38:1, 8-11) that God can shut the doors of the sea, set its limits, fasten the bar of its door and command that proud waves be stilled.  We are also assured by the evangelist Mark in today’s Gospel (Mk 4:35-41) that Jesus has the power to command both wind and sea, and these elemental giants of nature shall obey him.  The author of the responsorial psalm adds words of comfort to the voices of Job and the evangelist Mark.  In Psalm 107, the ancient composer tells us that the same God who can command the storm to blow can also shush it into a gentle breeze and bring travellers to their desired haven upon calmed and placid seas.

If all these words are true about the power of God being infinitely greater than the surges and swells of the turbulent seas and oceans and flooding rains and rivers of this earth, then what shall our posture be before such greatness?  To find the answer to this question, Mark draws our attention to the boat wherein Jesus and his disciples were sailing the sea of Galilee.  Tossed about in the squall, with waves breaking over its sides, the listing boat was beginning to take on water.  Yet while the disciples panicked, Jesus lay in the stern, sound asleep.  In Jesus, we discover the attitude that we are to emulate in order to weather the storms of life, both natural and spiritual.  That attitude, one of complete trust and faith, would see Jesus through all that lay ahead of him; that same trusting faith is ours to cultivate by daily giving ourselves over to God’s care, God’s will, God’s designs for our lives.

Faithfulness must characterize all our dealing with God – not part-time faithfulness, but daily deliberate trust.  Only such a daily effort will prepare us for when disasters come our way.  Even when panic chokes our hope and fear threatens our faith, we must always remember that a greater power than panic or fear is sleeping soundly in our sinking boat.