Happy Father’s Day to all of you!
In today’s Gospel, Mark assures us, the first-century believers, that nothing can harm the Church as long as the risen Lord is with them. He describes how, by a single commanding word, Jesus stilled a storm on the Sea of Galilee, he returned the sea to its natural order and saved the apostles from drowning. The incident reminds us that Jesus, resting in our life’s boat, is always ready to help us in the storms of life when we ask.
My dear parishioners, this miracle story from today’s liturgy of the Word asks us to consider two questions. First, “Who is Jesus?”, and second, “Will you trust this Jesus?” The disciples fail on both counts on this occasion. Even though they don’t suspect Jesus’ true identity, they accept Him with joy as their Master, but they are incapable of trusting in Jesus’ love and care for them in situations they cannot control. They panic, overwhelmed by fear, doubt, and insecurity on this stormy voyage. Jesus stills the storm as if exorcising a demon in as we see in many of Mark’s miracle stories. That is the whole point of the story nothing could harm the disciples while Jesus was with them. Many people have found great comfort in sensing Jesus’ constant presence in the most difficult and dangerous crises.
We need to remember that Jesus is always with us in the boat of our life. We all experience different types of violent storms in our lives: physical storms, emotional storms, and spiritual storms. We face storms of sorrow, doubt, anxiety, worry, temptation, and passion. Only Jesus can still these storms. Jesus can give us real peace in the storm of sorrow. When we are depressed with sorrow, Jesus assures us of the glory of the life to come. Jesus consoles us at the loss of our dear ones with the assurance of eternal life for them in the Heavenly home of God the Father where we too will live one day. When the storms of doubt seek to uproot the very foundations of our Faith, Jesus is there to still that storm, revealing to us His Divinity and the authority behind the words of the Holy Scripture. If we ask and respond with loving trust and obedience, Jesus will give us peace in our tempests of doubt, tension, and uncertainty. He will give us peace in our storms of anxiety and worry about ourselves, peace about the unknown future, peace about those we love, and calm in the storms of passion when our hearts grow hot and our tempers blaze.
Just remember WHO Jesus is, that He is always with you, and have FAITH in HIM.
P.S. Please join me with this prayer for our fathers on this day.
We give our thanks, Creator God, for the fathers in our lives. Fatherhood does not come with a manual, and reality teaches us that some fathers excel while others fail. We ask for Your blessings for them all and forgiveness where it is needed. This Father’s Day we remember the many sacrifices fathers make for their children and families, and the ways–both big and small–they lift children to achieve dreams thought beyond reach. So too, we remember all those who have helped fill the void when fathers pass early or are absent; grandfathers and uncles, brothers and cousins, teachers, pastors and coaches and the women of our families. For those who are fathers, we ask for wisdom and humility in the face of the task of parenting. Give them the strength to do well by their children and by You. In Your Holy name, Jesus our Lord, we pray.
St. Joseph pray for us