Reflection for Sunday June 23, Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Mark 4:35-41

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 of 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 and registers fear in our hearts. Notice what happens when there’s a brownout or blackout in the community. Everyone looks for their flashlights, candles, or anything that can defeat the darkness.

It was evening when Jesus and His disciples were crossing to the other side of the lake in a boat. Darkness pervaded their surroundings when suddenly, out of the blue, they encountered a violent storm. They were all scared  and the fear of the storm, combined with the darkness, momentarily made them forget that Jesus was with them.

And then, they remembered that Jesus, the light of their lives and ours too, was with them. Despite the violent storm, He was soundly asleep on a cushion in the stern. They woke Him up and asked for His help. Right before them, Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Quiet! Be still!' The wind ceased, and there was a 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 through storms and darkness in your life? – Marino J. Dasmarinas