In a crisis how much faith have we?

 

‘LORD, THAT I MAY SEE.’

A SHORT COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF THE DAY.

Gospel

Mark 4:35-41

'Even the wind and the sea obey him'

1.      With the coming of evening,

2.      Jesus said to his disciples,

3.      ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’

4.      And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat;

5.      and there were other boats with him.

6.      Then it began to blow a gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped.

7.      But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep.

8.      They woke him and said to him,

9.      ‘Master, do you not care? We are going down!’

10. And he woke up and rebuked the wind

11. and said to the sea, ‘Quiet now! Be calm!’

12. And the wind dropped, and all was calm again.

13. Then he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened?

14. How is it that you have no faith?’

15. They were filled with awe

16. and said to one another,

17. ‘Who can this be?

18. Even the wind and the sea obey him.’

 

This is a real-life parable. It happened and the event burned itself into the memories of the disciples. They thought it was all over and the boat would sink in the middle of the sea and in the darkness of a moonless night. Jesus was there but deep in sleep, somewhat like Jonah. What did they expect Jesus to do when they woke him? At least he would share their anxiety, they thought. He did the one thing they were not expecting. He rebuked the wind and commanded the sea to be calm. And so, it was, just as in Genesis and at the Red Sea.

From the wind and the sea, he turns to his disciples. He has brought the crisis to an end and asks ‘why were you frightened? How is it that you have no faith?’

Do we believe as we look at the host in the Mass, that herein lies the solution to every problem of the world – be it political, economic, social, medical, herein lies the solution to every one of my problems – of whatever kind.

Jesus could sleep so peacefully during such a storm. If we have faith so can we be at peace in the most distressing of situations? Jesus is real and he does care. This we need to learn through experience.