Quiet! Be still!

A Father’s Love

Prophet Job 38:1, 8-11

The Lord addressed Job out of the storm and said: …

Thus far shall you come but no farther,

   and here shall your proud waves be stilled!

Gospel According to Mark 4:35-41

“Let us cross to the other side.”

Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.

A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up.

Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.

“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

Jesus woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”

The wind ceased and there was great calm.

“Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

Homily for 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time & Father’s Day

Welcome to hurricane, tornado or flood season. Actually, there are storms throughout the year. But what is the storm that terrifies us into waking Jesus up and asking him,

“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

The real storm in each of our lives is anxiety.

What do we fear? What terrifies us?

Cancer in a loved one? Senseless shootings? Security? Enough for retirement? Final exams? Financial Distress? Poverty? Alzheimer’s? Gun Violence?

Let us Cross to the other side.

Where do the waves of anxiety break over our boat that is hopefully sailing toward guaranteed eternal life if we ask?

“Today you will be with me in Paradise!”

When we get to the point of paralyzing fear like the disciples did as their boat was swamping, we wake Jesus up. (Is this why we call the service before the funeral a wake?)

We almost say this with sarcasm if we are honest,

“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

Jesus does care. Jesus grew up to be like his father on earth and in heaven. Even when our Dads were sleeping, they had protected us to the best of their ability (and probably beyond). But Dad also encouraged us to grow to be the best version of ourselves. We too can be like Our Father in Heaven.

Each of us is called and encouraged to care and love like Our Father.

Sometimes the encouragement comes through the violent storms of our lives.

This is the faith Jesus asks of us.

“Quiet! Be still!”

We indeed have the authority to calm the storms like Jesus does, just as he was, the calm in every storm.

We are God’s sons and daughters. We can call God, “Father,” “Abba,” “Daddy”.

But Jesus asks each of us, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

Hopefully, we will eventually answer, “Jesus, I do believe, help my unbelief!”

Before we know it, we will be walking on the stormy seas more than just a few feet as Peter did.

Jesus won’t have to grasp our hand and say, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

God loves us more than any father could or ever will.

What Good News it is to have faith that we can wake up God, Our Father, especially when we are terrified of the storms.

Happy Father’s Day to all of our Fathers…

…and to You, O Beloved God and Our Father in Heaven and on Earth…

Happy Father’s Day DAD!

Why are you terrified?