“Journeying with the Lord, with a readiness and humility to learn, even through the storms and hardships of life!”

(Based on 2 Sam 12:1-7a, 10-17 and Mk 4:35-41 – Saturday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

The journey with the Lord is always an interesting one…

There are moments of tremendous joys and happiness…
There are times of fascinating delights and elations…

There are also however, moments of dryness and silence.

The Gospel of the Day is an account of the Disciples experiencing this dryness and silence, in their journey with the Lord.

It’s a very late evening, nearing midnight…

The disciples along with Jesus, who have embarked on a boat, are caught in the midst of a heavy storm.
“A violent squall came up and the waves were breaking over the boat…” (Mk 4:36)

Some of the disciples were fishermen.

They had been many many years at the sea.

They had often suffered the fury and vehemence of nature
They had been greatly used to many storms and tempests at sea.

But this storm seemed to be too fierce and too ferocious.

The disciples feared greatly!

With death bells ringing in their ears, and a dreadful end before their eyes…
… the disciples were shocked to see Jesus, unmoved and unperturbed.
“Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion” (Mk 4:38)

In the moment of their deep anguish and helpless, the disciples cry out:
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mk 4:38)

The boat could capsize anytime and all of them could be drowned soon…
The storms could lash brutally and the waves could overturn them any moment…

Time was fast running…

But Jesus seemed totally unfazed!

Jesus seemed totally disinterested!
And they cry out to Jesus… Lord, do you not care?

How many times have we screamed similar words to God:
“Lord, do you not care?!”

Lord, do you not care…
… that my family member is so sick?
… that I feel totally alone and miserable in my life?
… that my marriage is failing and my family is breaking up?
… that am without a job now and the future ahead is so bleak?
… that my life seems so meaningless and without any purpose?
… that I am plunged to loneliness and abandoned by all my friends?
… that I encounter only failures, dejection and rejection in my endevours?

When we look into the Gospel, it is amazing to know whose plan it was, in the first place to make this boat journey…

When we re-read the Gospel passage, we find the answer…
Mk 4:35 says, “On that day, as evening drew near, Jesus said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side'”!

Ah…..

Shall we read that again?

… JESUS said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side”!

The idea to go in the boat was not that of the disciples…

The idea to go in the boat was that of JESUS!

The encounter with the storms was not some accident!

The stumbling into the violent waves was not some unlucky thing!
It had a purpose!
It had a meaning!

For the disciples, it was a moment of terror…
… But the Lord used this terrorizing time to teach them to have faith in Him!

For the disciples, it was a time of immense crisis…
… But the Lord used this critical moment, to teach them to trust in Him!

King David would be convicted of his serious crime…
… when Prophet Nathan would acquit him of the sin of adultery against the wife of Uriah

This dreadful of sin and guilt would become a moment for King David to be lowered in humility, in abject dependence on the Lord and he would confess and repent: “I have sinned against the Lord.” (2 Sam 12:13)

David would realize his vulnerability and understand the need to always “pray for a pure heart!” (Cf Ps 51:10)

Our moments of struggle a time of testing…

Our moments of struggle can become a time of learning…

Testing of our genuine faith, learning of deeper trusting!

Testing of our real convictions…learning of profound dependence!

Let us, have the willingness to grow deeper by trusting the Lord in crisis moments.

Then we too will be blessed to hear the Lord commanding the waves and storms of hardships of our lives: “Quiet! Be Still!” (Mk 4: 39)

Let us seek the intercession of St John Bosco, on this Feast Day and give heed to his words:

“Be brave and try to detach your heart from worldly things
Do your utmost to banish darkness from your mind and come to understand what true, selfless piety is.
Enliven your faith, which is essential to understand and achieve piety.”

God Bless! Live Jesus!