January 28, 2012
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Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas 2 Samuel 12: 1-7, 10-17; Mark 4:35-41 |
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The story of Jesus sleeping in the boat helps me to remember how important it is to cultivate a spirit of calm even in the midst of crisis. We had a chance to test this out last Saturday when the divider broke down. It is easy to get swept away in the tempest of anxiety, frustration and helplessness. At those moments, it is hard to sort out our thoughts, let alone to discern the presence of God in our lives. The text of today's gospel reading comes at the end of the fourth chapter of Mark. You might recall the sequence of events leading up to today's reading. Jesus had been preaching to the crowds of people who were gathering around Him. Because of the press of the crowd, He got into the boat as a safe haven from the people who kept trying to touch Him. Sitting in the barque of Peter, Jesus spoke to the people who had gathered on the seashore. The boat was a comfortable and safe pulpit for Jesus' sermon by the sea. The people heard the Word of the Lord and were satisfied. In the aftermath of the sermon, Mark tells us that the Barque of Peter became a dangerous place to be once the disciples and Jesus set out for the opposite shore. As we ponder these events, it would be good to keep before our minds the words Paul wrote to the church in Philippi: "Our citizenship is in heaven [on the other shore] from where the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom we are eagerly awaiting will come" (Phil. 3:20). Sitting on the dry land, the gospel is a nice story to listen to. However, the teaching of Jesus is extremely challenging when one attempts to plumb the depths of its content. Leaving the tranquil shores, the disciples encounter the treacherous seas of the pilgrimage where the Barque of Peter is tossed about by the seas of betrayal from within and persecution from without. As the waves crash over the bow, it is easy to lose sight of the Master in our midst. In the face of fierce winds we must not be afraid. It is then that we need to keep our eyes fixed on the destination to which we are called. Most of us would prefer the boat never be tempest-tossed. Like Saint Paul, we may pray that the Lord remove the thorn from our side. Even as we pray we need to recall the Lord's reply to request of the Apostle to the Gentiles: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9). We must keep in mind that even if the Lord is asleep, He is still in the Boat. The dialogue between Jesus and His disciples is interesting, even mystifying. Tossed about by this horrific wind, the disciples fear for their lives. This was the moment they needed their Master's support more than ever, and they find Him sound asleep. Can you imagine the Master of the Universe sleeping through a howling gale? How can God be asleep when the Barque of Peter is being threatened by adverse winds? Saint Mark tells us that not only were the disciples scared, they were also confused: "Master, does it mean nothing to you that we are perishing?" (Mk. 4:38) Clearly the disciples needed Jesus' help. But the help He gave was not what they expected. As things turned out, the wind was the least of their problems. Jesus' question went to the heart of the issue: their faith. We too are in the Barque of Peter, and like the disciples, we sometimes get the feeling that Jesus is sleeping on the job. The passage in Mark's gospel today reminds us that we are not in control of whatever threatens us. In the midst of the challenges we face, may we always recognize the power of God-with-us. |
