12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME-B
I Reading: Job 38:1,8-11:
II
Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:14-17:
Gospel: Mark 4:35-41:
Today’s
three readings deal with the problem of suffering, trails, natural calamities,
loss of material goods, anxieties, dissension, temptations and persecution in
human life. We can ask some questions:
What
is our attitude toward sickness or suffering or persecution?
How
should a Christian or believer behave in time of trail?
Who
is the author of our life?
The
answers will be given throughout the readings of the day.
1.
The answer given by Job to the problems of his own suffering.
The
purpose of the Boob of Job is to help people accept the trails of life
trusting in God’s wisdom and goodness,
as Job had done.
Job
complains to God: “Is it right that an honest person like me should be allowed
to suffer this way?”
Having
listened to Job’s complaint and to his four friends’ wrong way of reasoning,
God intervenes. He challenges Job to explain the way things in nature work, how
the lightning and thunder come about, how the sea keeps in its own place, how
the stars move in the sky and so on. Job is unable to answer even a single
question among the many put to him by God. Having made him realize how limited
his knowledge is, God leads him to the right conclusion:
“If
you cannot even explain how visible things in nature work, how can you or your
friends pretend to explain what no man has ever fathomed: God’s ways of dealing
with people…?
Job
realizes his foolishness and begs for pardon. He has understood God’s message
which was as follows:
The
wise course for anyone who suffer is to refrain from questioning God, to submit
to God’s wisdom, power and love.
The
gospel is ending with “they were filled with awe and said to one another, who
can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.
Who
is Jesus for me today? The Son of God, the Messiah, the redeemer, the saviour
of the world, the creation came to be through him. He is the new creation.
Jesus
performed four kinds of miracles:
1.
The healing miracles-Jesus healed the sick and suffering and the demoniac
spirit
2.
The feeding miracles- Jesus fed the hungry and thirty
3.
The resuscitation- Jesus raised the dead and gave life to the dead
4.
The nature miracles- Jesus calmed the wind and the sea-controlled over the
nature and the universe. He is the new creation and the universe is existed
through him.
2.
A clearer explanation about suffering provided by Jesus:
a) The boat represents the church:
Jesus entrusted the church to his apostles; their task was to cross the lake
and to take the boat to “the other shore” i.e. heaven.
Mark
28:20- I am with you always.
b) Jesus was asleep:
The first lesson is that
Jesus really became man (so human).
The second lesson is that the
apostles failed to learn was Jesus’ faith and trust in his Father.
c) The complaint of the apostles:
“Master, do you not care? We are perishing or doing down.” (Mk 4:39
d) The reply of Jesus: “Quiet now” Be
calm!”
Having
restored the calm, Jesus rebuked his disciples:
“Why
are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?” Mk 4:40
It
was like telling them: It is high time that you put your complete trust in me;
otherwise you will always remain at the mercy of a thousand fears.
The
lesson about suffering that Jesus teaches us through the episode of the storm
in the lake is clear enough. He teaches us in the way he accepted his own
trials, his suffering and his death.
Not
for a moment did he doubt of his Father’s love for him; his last words on the
cross were an expression of his full trust in Him: “Father, into your hands I
commend my spirit.” (Lk 23:46)
The
people those who came to Jesus with a desperate need and faith in him never
went back with an empty handed but received the healing touch and the power of
Jesus.
Mt.
11:28-Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Mt.
21:22- If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayers.
Jn.
14:27- Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the
world gives. Do not let your hearts troubled and do not be afraid.
3.
A model of trust in Jesus’ love: Paul:
Paul
completes the lesson on suffering as follows: if Christ died and rose for us,
we should live and die for him; in his plans of love our trials are only
stepping stones to our own resurrection.
Thought: In
time of trial, never question God but rather, put our trust in Him for He loves
us. Jesus may appear asleep, deaf to our prayer, yet he is very much concerned
about us. Make sure that Jesus is in our
boat, in the boat of our soul and Christian community to which we belong. He
will lead us safely to the other shore-heaven. Jesus teaches us how to stand up
to difficulties courageously with complete trust in his Father’s love.
The Authority of Jesus over Nature: Rest and Peace, 4:35-41
What
was the purpose of this experience? Why was a storm or squall allowed to arise
on the sea with Jesus in the boat? The answer is given in v.14. And what a
marvellous purpose it was: to stir his people to ask, “Who is this?” Jesus
proved again that he is the Messiah! Calming the storm would do three things.
1.
It would demonstrate who he is: The Sovereign Lord who has all power-even power
over nature (nature miracle).
2.
It would strengthen the belief of his followers, belief in him as the Messiah
and in his personal care as their Saviour.
3.
it would give to all generations a picture of his care and power to deliver
through all the storms of life (trials and fearful experiences).
It
does not matter what the storm or trail is nor how terrifying it may be-Jesus
is able to deliver and bring about the most assuring calm.
In
this experience, God has demonstrated His wonderful care and power to deliver
the believer through all the storms of life.
1.
Rest and peace are sought after a tiring day (v.35-36)
a) At evening- Jesus was fatigued,
tired
b) He was so fatigued, he went as he
was-without any preparation
c) Other ships/boats went also
2.
Rest and peace can be experienced despite a great storm (v.37-38)
a) Boat filled with water
b) Jesus slept- as a true human
3.
Rest and peace are a concern to Jesus (v.38-39)
a) The disciples feared lest they drown
b) The power of Jesus to control the
situation
4.
Rest and peace come through two sources (v.40-41)
a) Through faith
b) Through Jesus, His power and His
Word, v.39-“Quiet! Be still”
Thought:
Three important lessons on prayer:
i. We must
pray before momentous events (Mt 7:7; James 5:13; Jer 33:3).
ii. We must
pray for others (Eph 6:18).
iii. We must
pray for strength to withstand in all trails (Mt 26:41;Rom 8:26; Is 41:17,
58:9).
Jesus Christ
saves a person’s life eternally provided he/she loses his/her life for Christ.
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