"... AND THE STORM CEASED".

TWELVE SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME. YEAR B.
June 25, 2006.
(First reading: Job 38:1, 8-11) (Psalm 107:23-31)
(Second reading: 2 Corinthians 5:14-17) (Gospel: Mark 4:35-41)

"... AND THE STORM CEASED".

Whether the storms brew in the inner chambers of our soul or in the outer layers of our world, in either case they can cause profound fear and distress for they can make us drown in pain, in suffering, in desperation, in wars, in oppression, in injustice.

Thus, the suffering human being longs for the calm that will relieve him from the blows of the raging storm. And, just as it took a miracle to calm the "violent squall" in the Sea of Galilee, so does it take a miracle to calm the storms that threaten the life of any human being individually or of human society collectively.

The Lord Jesus calms down the storms which threaten to drown us, and so we believe.
This is how we manifest our faith in the Lord who rescues us from the storm:

1. We must have faith that the Lord is with us "in our boat", "in the boat of humanity", just like the disciples knew that Jesus was with them in their boat. It is by faith that we rush towards the Lord saying: "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"

If we seek his protection we will not perish.

2. The Lord strengthens our faith by assuring us that he has the power to calm our storms because he is the creator of heaven and earth and thus everything is under his authority. In the Book of Job (First reading) the Lord says: "I set the limits for [the sea] and fastened the bar of its door; and said: Thus far shall you come but no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stilled!" (Job 38:10-11).

The Lord's care for humanity will not allow neither our inner storms nor powerful oppressors to destroy us.

3. Finally, the miracle which calms our storms reaches its fulfillment when we make ours the very life of the Lord, the life of the one who saves us from the storm, the life of the one who brings us liberation, peace and salvation, so that we "no longer live for ourselves but for him who for our sake died and was raised" (2 Corinthians 5:15).

The "storms" have no longer the power to destroy us for "whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

May all of us be able to hear the Lord Jesus rebuke the wind and say to the sea: "Quiet! Be still!"

"...And the storm ceased and there was a great calm" (Mark 4:39); great calm in our souls; great calm, peace and justice in our world.