Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Most of the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Mark is a series of “seed” parables, one of which we heard last Sunday about the mustard seed as a metaphor for the growth of the kingdom of God. The chapter ends with the story of Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee.
One commentary on this chapter explains how Jesus himself becomes a living parable, revealing himself as God who has power over creation. In the psalms we read: “Lord, God of hosts, who is like you? You rule the raging sea; you still its swelling waves” (Ps. 89:9-10); “You still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves” (Ps. 65:8). In other words, when the disciples asked themselves, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?” they might have glimpsed an answer in their memory of these psalms.
The whole point of the account of the storm at sea is to help us realize that Jesus knows our fears and anxieties, and he is there to calm us down and bring peace to our troubled hearts and souls. In this weekend’s final hymn, we sing “No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I’m clinging. Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing?”
It is always a test of our faith when we are faced with sudden crises, and those come in many different forms: a sudden change of health; loss of a job; a broken relationship, etc. Perhaps our fear is based on the unknown, like waiting for a medical procedure or test results. Sometimes our fear rises from the mistakes we’ve made, wondering if the past can ever be rectified. The good news is that we are never alone with our worries or fears as long as we continue to believe that the Lord is holding our hand along the way.
As we move into “high summer” mode, I hope you will have the opportunity to spend time at your favorite vacation spot – as I will for a week coming soon. Safe travels, wherever they lead you!
Blessings on your week ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M., Pastor