Redwood Journal

12 Sunday of Ordinary Time ~ 23 June 2024 ~ Scripture Readings for Mass: I: Job 38: 1, 8 – 11; Responsorial: Psalm 107; II: II Corinthians 5: 14 – 17; Gospel: Mark: 4: 35 – 41

The storms of life come. Sometimes we anticipate when there may be time to prepare for the winds, waves, and drenching trials or sorrows that arrive. And there are those storms that suddenly rise up when they are least expected. The storms of life bring challenges and circumstances beyond our control and strength. We may marshall all our personal resources and even the help of others. But we learn, repeatedly, the truth that life often brings more than we can handle on our own.

Our Scripture shared this week in our Liturgy, shares the power and Presence of Jesus, the Living Word, and can bring Heaven’s light into the dark reality of our storms of this life. The Old Testament readings tell of Job, who knew painfully and intensely about the storms of life and of God seeking to speak to Job, from the storms he faced. The Psalm in, elegant poetry bears witness to those who traveled the sea in ships, often through the very real storms of life. The Epistle of Paul speaks, indirectly of this theme. But it contains a powerful verb of insight. The Holy Spirit, teaching us through Paul, shows us how those who follow Christ are impelled by and in the love of God. And it is in the familiar Gospel lesson we travel with the disciples, impelled by Jesus into the boat and soon into the very storms the sea could bring. In the majestic light of God’s Word we can see that to belong to God, and to follow Jesus means that we will face storms wherein we must choose where to place our faith, in the storm? Or in God? In the great storms of life, and in our everyday journey with Jesus we need to learn these storms are about Power, Truth or Integrity, and Trust.

Many are the storm fronts we face in these times. The season of potential literal fire storms is with us. Our nation is entering what promises to be stormy political wars where discerning true values and integrity will be awash in immense waves of hype and hyperbole. In the church, there are storms of divisive strife and fear. Storms of scandal, litigation, and bitterness have brought destructive waves that seek to batter and destroy those in the Barque of Saint Peter. In homes and families storms of relationship struggles, flounderings of faith, health, and basic financial security are very real. Regardless of the place or scope of these storms, they bring us the call, and the opportunity to grow through their Power, to mature in Truth and Integrity, and to be impelled in Love and Trust, with Jesus our Lord.

POWER is always a harsh element of storms. When we encounter the storms of life we are plunged into circumstances where we must admit, we are not in control. The security of having a life where we choose, when, what, and with whom is challenged, and even, at times lost. Storms impact us physically, psychologically, and spiritually. We may fear or actually face dangers beyond our ability to cope. And spiritually our very relationship, our faith in Christ may seem, feel lost. Yet it is through the harsh, relentless winds and waves we can grow in discerning, knowing, and experiencing truth and integrity in life.

Truth, Integrity – The disciples of Jesus learned well this way, this path with Emmanuel, God with us. They were growing as faithful followers of Christ. He had said they were to cross the sea. So in faith, in obedience, they got in the boat with the Lord. And in the dark night of their souls, the storm came. For these experienced and seasoned fishermen to be so frightened by the power of the winds and waves speaks volumes of the storm they were in, while Jesus slept. The deadly, destructive power of the water and wind was very real. It could not be ignored. They were forced, with all their experience, knowledge, and integrity to accept their danger and seeming destruction. They knew that soon they could be, truly in, ‘over their heads’. Except that Jesus was with them. They prayed, and they called out to God who appeared to be actually asleep. It is in our feeble faith we can call out and enter into a power and truth far greater than any storm we may be in. We can discover the Truth of Jesus, Emmanuel, with us, and that with Him it will be well with our souls.

TRUST – The disciples in the Barque of Peter had to decide. They quickly perceived the need to choose to continue trusting in the waves and winds of fear and doubt that could drown them or would they trust the Lord and the love of God who was with them? These are choices that we face daily. Are we going to trust, just in what we see, feel, or fear. The experienced “influencers” of this world have knowledge and insight, often very accurate, and we would be foolish not to heed the doctors, counselors, lawyers, and accountants of life. But when we allow our own life, our family, our church, and our nation to be directed by this wisdom without first, and foremost heeding the Truth who is God we are perilously foolish.

From our reading in the Book of Job and many other Scriptures, we are taught that the battles and storms of life are not just about the weather or physical elements and people. The power behind the storms we encounter is often from sources and conflicts far beyond what we see and know. And our omniscient Lord Jesus is the Truth that will lead us through whatever storms we face. Jesus, with his disciples in the boat, did not perform some meteorological analysis and corrections. God simply intervened and commanded the waves and winds to be still. Jesus then looked at his soggy, early followers and asked, “Why are you so terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

So it is with each of us. God allows our storms to bring us closer to Him. As we call out to our Lord he will respond in the ways that are best for us. We may learn our body is but a temporary vessel that can, and will one day fail. But that, with Christ it is well with our soul. We will learn that our trust is to be in God, our love, not in our feelings or knowledge but in Him who loves us. Eternally.

There is a true story that bears witness to what we share. In 1873 a Christian man, Horatio G. Spafford had been through some intense losses and struggles. He made plans to go to England with his wife and four daughters. In a last-minute change of plans, he sent his family ahead to England. While crossing the Atlantic their ship had a fiery collision with another vessel. The ship sank and many, including his four daughters, were lost. His wife would wire him, “Only I am saved.” It is said while sailing to meet his bereaved wife he came to the place where his daughters had drowned. As he sailed over that place he was given the following verses that would later be set to music by Philip Bliss:

The storms of life will come. The power and life-changing reality they bring cannot be denied or ignored. But when we realize Emmanuel is with us, even if he seems to be sleeping, are we not being given a blessed opportunity to learn of God’s greater Power, to choose God’s way of Truth, of Integrity, and to decide what or in Whom we will place our Trust and our Love?