GOSPEL POWER | JUNE 20, 2021 | SUNDAY | 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Mk 4: 35 - 41

On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Reflection

At the very beginning of his Gospel account, Mark already  declares his faith in Jesus as the Son of God (cf. Mk 1:1).  Then he invites his readers to discover this truth in the  episodes he narrates. Today’s episode has a bit of humor in it. Jesus  sleeps through a storm at sea amidst the commotion of his panicstricken disciples. And why would not the Son of the Creator-God  be at home in his Father’s universe where all cosmic forces are under  his control? This episode wants to assure today’s readers, just as it  assured Mark’s persecuted community in the first century, that Jesus  is right here in the boat of our life. And the same question he asked  his disciples are addressed to us now, “Why are you terrified? Do you  not yet have faith?”

Prayer

Lord, increase our faith, so that whether you are awake or asleep in the  boat of our life, we may feel safe in your company. Amen