Stilling of the Storm
Jesus was a carpenter and not a fisherman. In this Sunday’s passage from Mark, the carpenter is travelling with the disciples across the Sea of Galilee. They find themselves in the midst of a great storm. The seasoned and experienced fisherman were deeply afraid because there was a good possibility that they might drown. In the midst of this storm Jesus is asleep. He was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep. How is this possible? The fisherman had to wake him. Master, do you not care? We are going down!
When reading this Gospel, I am reminded that when my life seems chaotic and things are falling apart, when I feel that I am drowning, Jesus seems to be asleep. He is not there, or he doesn’t seem to care. When life is stormy Jesus is not around. I might cry out in desperation, Lord don’t you care, I am drowning here!
Amidst this mighty storm on Galilee, Jesus did two things. He rebuked the wind and commanded the sea to be still. When all was still and calm, Jesus said to the disciples, who were understandably scared, Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith? The Greek word for faith is ‘pistis’ which can mean ‘trust’. Jesus is asking them and asking us, Have you no trust in me?
I love the words of the writer Peter Kreeft:
‘So, the next time you see some of the terrifying, threatening waves of life about to break on you and wipe you out, remember who is holding them back and using them as part of his mysterious but all-wise and all-loving plan for your life. We cannot see that, but we can believe that; and we can believe that because we can believe him and trust him. If he is all-powerful and all-wise, he controls even the waves of the sea and the waves of our lives. And if he is all-good and loving, then he does it out of his love for us, for our greatest good in the end. We must believe it because we do not usually see it, but we have three very good reasons to believe it: there is no limit to God’s power, God’s wisdom, and God’s love. That is why there is a limit to the waves.’
