23.06.2024 – St. Patrick Catholic Church, Largo, FL

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“Master, do you not care? We are going down!” 

Job 38:1, 8-11, Psalm 139, 2Corinthians 5:14-17, Mark 4:35-41

Today’s readings generally tell us about the stormy life of a Christian and the need for him to stay focused in such situations knowing that the Lord and Master is in charge!

The first reading from the Book of Job is God’s response, out of the storm, to the desperate Job. We all know what suffering Job went through. His stormy life anxiety attracted God’s assuring response in this first reading. The second reading is Paul’s reaction in the face of the storm he also found himself. It was the storm of his Ministry. After all the efforts of Paul in this Mission that was dear to him, the faith of the Corinthian Church was being diluted by the virus of some false teachers. This was also stormy for him. His teaching of the new creation and the love of God meant to urge on good and orthodox conduct was Paul’s pastoral strategy in the face of pastoral problem. The Gospel reading records another serious storm in Jesus’ company with His disciples. They were almost perishing in the face of that storm but again, Jesus intervened. He calmed the stormy sea. This restored the confidence of the disciples in their Master.

Each reading has a ‘storm.’ We can really draw inspiration from the circumstances of ‘the storms’ in the readings; and the nature of God’s response out of those storms. Job had his personal storm in the first reading. Paul had his pastoral storm in the second reading. The disciples had a pastoral-professional storm in the Gospel reading. The striking circumstances in the storms (especially in the first and Gospel readings) is that all appeared (came up) after some firm resolve to pursue some good cause. Job was struck with his storm after his avowed disposition to serve His God in uprightness. The circumstances of Paul’s storm in the second reading unveils a disappointment that came after he had taken steps to build a community of faith in Corinth. In the Gospel reading, the storm came after the disciples got into the boat with Jesus to cross to the other side to serve a pastoral need of healing a demoniac. Why did all these storms come up after genuine decisions to do good? Why do storms always come against the Christian’s resolve to do good? This Biblical situation is meant to create awareness to us today that such is the typical experience of a Christian and therefore, do not be swept away by storms instead apply the attitude suggested by the nature of God’s intervention in today’s readings.

Let us come to think of it. In the first reading, instead of saying: “I am the one who did this and that …,” God, speaking from the storm decided to make His point by asking a question: “who did this and that…?” Again, in the Gospel reading, when the disciples were very terrified, Jesus responded again asking a question: “why are you terrified, are you also without faith?” A careful analysis of these responses reveals the nature of the attitude God wants us to have in the face of storms which come especially when we are ready to serve Him.

The questions connote direct response such as: “Do not doubt what I can do.” “I have handled worse situations in the past, I can handle this.” Don’t worry yourself, I have got your back.” “Don’t panic like the faithless, I am on top of the situation. Above all, God’s questions are an assuring and consoling message: calm down, be focused, I will see you through…

We all know how those stories and situations ended. We know that God eventually saw Job though. We know that Paul eventually restored confidence in the Corinthian community. We know the disciples of Jesus eventually went over in safety to the other side of the sea and Jesus actually performed the good deed of healing the demoniac (cf. Mark 5). On this pilgrim journey, a Christian should expect storms of different types, shapes and sizes. The lesson we must learn here is the need to allow the Lord into our situation and the need to be focused on the good, the need to maintain an attitude of trust and confidence in God and allow his love to urge us on. Surely Jesus will see us through.

This message is for you and I, especially those who are navigating through serious challenges, difficulties and storms in their lives – Jesus cares – God will see you through. Trust and confide in God. The God who calmed the storms in today’s readings will also calm whatever storm you are going through right now.

“Master, do you not care? We are going down!” – The Master cares. The Lord says calm down, be focused, I will see you through…

Source Credit – Homily is adapted from the original homily by Fr. Emem Umoren