Gospel: Mark 4:35-41
On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us
cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the
boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. 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. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher,
do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said
to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then
he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were
filled with great awe and said to one another “Who then is this whom even wind
and sea obey?
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Reflection:
The story is told about a man who was so afraid of darkness. He feared
darkness because he imagines evil things coming out from it. For the same
reason, when sleeping time comes in the evening he tells his wife not to turn
off the lights.
For many of us evening or darkness depicts uncertainty, it registers
fears in our hearts. Notice when there’s brownout in the community. Everyone
would look for their flashlights, candles or anything that could defeat
darkness.
It was evening when Jesus and His disciples were crossing to the other
side of the lake. They were in a boat and darkness pervades their environment,
when out of the blue they suddenly encountered a violent storm. All of them
were running scared (who wouldn’t be?) the fear of the violent storm coupled
with darkness made them momentarily forgot that Jesus was with them.
And then they remembered that Jesus (the light of their lives and our
lives too!) was with them. He was soundly asleep (notwithstanding the violent
storm) in the stern on a cushion. So they woke Him up and they asked Jesus for
help. And right in front of them Jesus rebuked the wind, and said to the sea,
“Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm (Mark 4:39).
All of us pass thru certain stretches of darkness and storms in our life
and we naturally fear it. Many of us would want to avoid these stretches of
darkness and storms. Yet we cannot avoid it for these are part and parcel of
our life.
So what are we going to do when we pass thru these episodes of storms and
darkness? We always have to remember that Jesus the light of our lives is
always with us. We always have to remember that no storms or darkness can break
us down. For we have Jesus walking with us and lighting our paths.
Do you always call on Jesus when you pass thru storms and darkness in
your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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