My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it

 

 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

 

Then His mother and brothers came to  Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

 

- Luke 8:16–25 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.  And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries  of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'  Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.   Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in a time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

 

  "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."  Jesus uses similar metaphors of light elsewhere in the Gospels to illustrate related concepts in His teaching (see Matthew 5:14-15, Mark 4:21-22, Luke 11:33-34).  Here, He is emphasizing internal illumination, and in particularly "how we hear."  That is, the importance of our perception and capacity for learning the spiritual concepts hidden in His parables (see the parable of the Sower, in yesterday's reading, above).  What we grasp as His disciples must be lived, nurtured, and cherished as our good treasure.

 

 Then His mother and brothers came to  Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."   My study Bible comments that it was not Christ's will to deny His mother and brothers.  Instead, St. John Chrysostom asserts that Jesus is correcting both the and His hearers "to the right idea concerning Himself," that the family of His Kingdom "is not by nature but by virtue."  Jesus' teaching here is emphasizing what we've just read of His preaching in the Sermon on the Plain (see Luke 6:12-49) and in His teaching of the parable of the Sower (see yesterday's reading, above).  He points to a spiritual family based on obedience to the will of God (see also Luke 11:27-28).

 

 Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"  My study Bible suggests that Christ deliberately permits the windstorm to arise while He's sleeping, in order to perfect the faith of the disciples and to rebuke their weaknesses.  In this way, they are being strengthen to be unshaken by the temptations of life that will come their way.  In this particular scenario, their faith is still mixed with unbelief.  They showed faith when they came to Him, but unbelief when they said, "We are perishing." Let us remember in this context that faith in Christ is rooted in trust.

 

 One part of today's reading in concerned with Jesus' mother and His brothers coming to see Him.  We can perhaps construe that at this juncture in His ministry He's beginning to attract very great crowds and a lot of publicity.  Since He has already had some run-ins with certain Pharisees (such as in this reading, for example, or this one from Monday), we can also assume that this publicity may be alarming or even unseemly to His family of rather humble stature in Nazareth.  (See this reading for the conflict which arose when He preached in His hometown, and the wrath He incurred there.) 

 In St. Mark's third chapter, the Gospel seems to write of an incident at this same period of Jesus' ministry, and also amid the clashes He begins to have with the religious authorities.  When such great crowds come to find Jesus and draw so much attention to Him, it disturbs and frightens His family enough so that they seek to "lay hold of Him, for they said, 'He is out of His mind'" (Mark 3:20-21).  The protective claim of mental illness rings true even today, for a family trying to draw a loved one out of the spotlight and away from the threat of possible action on the part of authorities.   It's intriguing to consider that Jesus' mother Mary is outside waiting to speak to Him together with His "brothers" (likely sons of St. Joseph by a previous marriage, or cousins or other extended family).  Since from the earliest origins of the Church Christ's mother Mary has been venerated for her love of her Son and her faith in Him, we can certainly assume Jesus' response is not at all meant to insult or demean her concerns (and she will stand by Him even at the Cross; see John 19:25-27).  Perhaps she's there because the rest of the family presses her to go and see Jesus and find out what He's doing.  But if we are tempted to think that He is turning her away, and contrasting her with His followers, we truly should think again.  For all the evidence that we have points to Mary the Theotokos ("God-bearer" in Greek) as one who fits this description of those whom Jesus describes as His spiritual family: "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."   It is St. Luke's Gospel, after all, that tells us that Mary responded with acceptance when told by Gabriel of the birth of Jesus; she said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" (see Luke 1:26-38).  She is the one who, in St. John's Gospel, told the servants at the wedding in Cana, "Whatever He says to you, do it," and so encouraged and helped to facilitate His first sign in that Gospel (John 2:1-12).  So, bearing these things in mind, we should consider that when Jesus responds to His mother and brothers in today's reading, He is in some sense assuring us all that Mary is in fact sister to the women we read about yesterday.  That is, to "Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance" (see yesterday's reading. above).  Or perhaps, as the mother of our Lord, it would be better to say that Mary the Theotokos is in this sense the mother of all of us.  For without her willing acceptance of her part in God's plan of salvation, none of us would be brothers and sisters in His Church.  In the view of the Church, and from its earliest years, Mary has been venerated as the greatest of Christian saints, and indeed, she is the model upon which we can all draw for Christ's description of His spiritual family, those who hear the word of God and do it.  When we read of all of these women, then, let us consider Christ's mother Mary together with them in the Church. For "those who hear the word of God and do it" include many whom we might call disparate and different, but all are together gathered in the Church, then and ever since.

 

 

 

Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?

 

 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"

 

- Mark 4:35–41 

 

In our recent readings, two great "landmarks" of Christ's public ministry have occurred.  On Monday, we read that Jesus went up on a mountain, called twelve of His disciples to Himself, and designated them to become apostles.  On Wednesday, Jesus began to preach in parables to the great multitudes that now gather to Him.   In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught more parables to the crowds:  He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."  And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.   

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"  My study Bible explains that this story makes clear Christ's divinity as commands to the sea and waves can only be issued by God (Job 38:8-11; Psalms 66:5-6, 107:29).   At the same time, He was asleep, showing us His humanity, and that as a human being, He needed rest.  In His Incarnation, my study Bible says, Christ assumed all the natural actions of the flesh, of which sleep is one.  So we have elements that teach us that Christ is divine and is the Messiah, and at the same time that He is fully human with human needs.  

My study Bible reminds us that this image of Christ in a boat with His disciples is one traditionally understood as an image of the Church.  It notes that God both permits storms and delivers us through them, so that we can see God's protection more clearly.  Furthermore, Christ's rebuke of the storm teaches us also about our own depth of need for Him, to calm the tempests that arise within us.  As faithful, we all follow the footsteps of the disciples in this sense.  Moreover, there's an important lesson here, as we keep in mind that Christ has only recently called the Twelve to become His particular disciples who will be the first apostles, sent out with Christ's power shared with them to heal and to preach and to cast out demons.  In this sense, this journey prepares them for the journeys that will be now ahead of them, including the time when He is no longer in the world as the human Jesus.  My study Bible says that here specifically, He deliberately permits this great windstorm to arise while He's asleep as a part of the process of perfecting the disciples faith, and to rebuke their weaknesses, so that eventually they will be unshaken by the temptations of life -- such as great fear.  Here their faith, we can see, is still mixed with unbelief.  They showed faith in coming to Him, but unbelief when they declared "we are perishing."  We can see how Christ is shaping them for their future as the apostles they will become, sent out to all the world and in all kinds of unforeseen and indeed, dangerous, circumstances.  Many of them will lose their lives or be forced to live in exile and through persecutions of the Church.  But we may also model our own lives following this image of the disciples with Christ in the boat on the sea that is subject to occasional windstorms.  Let us not forget, several of these men have spent their lives as fishermen on this very sea, and yet the windstorm is such that it is terrifying and they fear for their lives.  So, when we encounter these images in today's reading, we should really consider viewing our own lives within this same framework.  For Christ is preparing them through such challenging events for the things in their future, and for their lives as disciples and apostles.  Indeed, discipleship means "learning" (the Greek for disciple means "learner").  As with athletes, discipline comes through testing and struggle, meeting new challenges to become more proficient at what we do.  So it is with what are traditionally called "spiritual athletes."  Every discipline of the Church is meant to help us to grow in our faith, and to become stronger in it, more masterful in this sense.  The historical practice of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving during Lent are aspects of such discipline, and all are meant as a kind of training for faith.  We might abstain from some food we like, but at the same time we develop the discipline to abstain from, for example, overindulging in fear or other passions, from letting them get the better of us and causing us to  forget our faith.  If we can see our challenges in life as ways to test our faith, to meet a struggle and find where our weaknesses are so that we might come to terms with them and strengthen ourselves, then we are on the right track to meet life where Christ takes His disciples.  In this perspective, there is only the journey to consider and the immediate things at hand with which Christ meets us so that we may learn how to develop a deeper faith and reliance upon God.  Let us consider that we are always being prepared for the spiritual journey ahead, no matter where it takes us or where God wants us to go.  In this context, it's not the world's goals we need to meet, but the Lord who guides us and seeks what's best for that journey.

No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light

 

 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But he said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

 

- Luke 8:16-25 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.  And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on the rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'  Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." 

 

 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."  Here, continuing in the context of yesterday's parable of the Sower (see above), Jesus speaks of His word as light.  The lamp to which He refers would have been understood as an image of one that burned oil, a flame giving illumination to the room.  So when we think of this light, it is an image of light emanated from a flame, and one that can be distributed and given to others.  It is also a kind of flame whose light sheds clarity on everything, opening up mysteries (to which He referred in yesterday's reading, above), and other things that are hidden.  We should remember that He's speaking to His disciples, including those who will be sent out with His word.

 

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."   My study Bible comments that Christ's relatives have not yet understood His identity and mission.  Moreover, it was not Christ's will to deny His mother and brothers.  It quotes St. John Chrysostom, who comments that He is correcting both them and His hearers "to the right idea concerning Himself," that the family of His Kingdom "is not by nature but by virtue."  Note the emphasis yet again on living the word of God, following upon the theme of the parable of the Sower in yesterday's reading (above).  

 

 Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But he said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"   My study Bible says that Christ deliberately permits the windstorm to arise while He is sleeping in order to perfect the faith of the disciples, and to rebuke their weaknesses -- so that they will eventually be unshaken by the temptations of life.  Here their faith is still mixed with unbelief:  they showed faith when they came to Him, but unbelief when they said, "We are perishing."

 

In today's reading, Jesus continues themes from His parable of the Sower, told in yesterday's reading (see above).  As the Sower (Jesus) sows His word, this "seed" goes out into the world, and it must take root in human hearts, and grow in their souls.  In this way it produces much fruit; according to the parable, even "a hundredfold."  That is, the word multiplies.  It's important that we see the ways that this happens, the unfolding of all kinds of ways in which the seed takes root and is lived and expressed through our lives, because this isn't just a simple single direction.  This is something which comes from the Creator, and is in its effects and energy, explosively creative itself.  That image of produce of "a hundredfold" is an image of all the ways in which the word can take root, blossom, and produce fruit through us and into the world.  The lamp that is lit as a flame and gives light all around is another such expression that gives us an image for the ways in which this word works.  If we think of Christ's word as the lamp, then the light it yields has all kinds of effects.  It spreads out to illumine an entire room; it brings mysteries to light, revealing truth.  And it can also reveal dark secrets that need healing and cleansing, our own hidden flaws we can do something to act upon.  The light also includes others who see it and experience it and may desire that flame for themselves.  It reminds us of the disciples on the road to Emmaus (also found in Luke's Gospel; see Luke 24:13-35).  After speaking unknowingly with the risen Christ, they suddenly realize in the breaking of bread who He is, and He vanishes from their sight.  They ask one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"  That sensation of burning in the heart is another echo of the flame of the word which burns, warms, stirs within us, and kindles understanding and illumination, uplifting us with possibilities within its creative and dynamic action.  We need to see all of the outpourings of this word that starts with a seed, and the "hundredfold" possibilities that manifest as a result of it.  Jesus describes a new kind of family that His word will create as one of its actions.  This does not mean He rejects His family (after all, His mother also heard the word of God and did it, calling herself the "maidservant of the Lord"; see Luke 1:26-38), but it deeply instills in us a sense of communion, and a meaning to the deep bond between Mary and Jesus extending also to the faithful, as she has come to be understood by many as "Mother" as well.  When the disciples set sail across the sea and are caught in the windstorm, Jesus' presence with them and their developing faith become an occasion for teaching -- for the times when they will be sent out into the world carrying His word to all nations.  What each of these things says to us is something about the infinite creativity of this word, Christ's expression of a "hundredfold" yield in the parable of the Sower giving us a meaning of infinite fullness, a multiplicity beyond all expectations, and one that continues to grow in ways we can't anticipate nor possibly even define within our own limitations.  For this word is the seed of the Creator, and that is just what it is -- it is infinitely creative.  It has inspired artists of all times and disciplines, from architecture to art to music to poetry and all sorts of expressions throughout the centuries.  It brings us beauty in so many forms, manifest in all the arts, in forms of our worship services, to the everyday things that bless our homes, give us hope, and especially teach us about love and mercy so that we also shine the light from the lamp of His word.  Because this is what we are meant to do, and the word He has sent out that will not come back to Him empty.

 

 

Peace, be still!

 

 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

 

- Mark 4:35–41 

 

In yesterday's reading, we read that Jesus said (as He began to speak in parables to the crowds), "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on the earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."  And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples."

 

 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"  There are several things to observe in today's reading.  What we should start with is this notable command that Christ gives, to cross over to the other side.  This means the other side of the Sea of Galilee.  In some sense, it is like preparation for the apostolic missions to come.  My study Bible has several insights for us to consider.  Following with the idea that this is a preparation of sorts, it says that Christ deliberately permits this windstorm to arise while He is sleeping in order to perfect the disciples' faith, and to rebuke their weaknesses -- in this way they will eventually be unshaken by life's temptations.  In today's reading, their faith is still mixed with unbelief.  They showed faith when they awoke Him, but unbelief when they said that "we are perishing."   There is also another powerful and important element to this story, and that is that Christ shows mastery over creation, another sign that He is the Messiah and is divine.  My study Bible says that commands to the wind and sea can only be issued by God (Job 38:8-11; Psalm 66:5-6, 107:29).  In this way, Christ reveals more to the disciples about the confidence they can take in Him.  My study Bible comments that He was asleep because as a man, he needed rest.  In His Incarnation, He assumed all natural actions of the flesh, one of which is sleep.  This image of Christ and His disciples in a boat is traditionally used to illustrate the Church.  Finally, my study Bible adds that God both permits storms and delivers us through them, so that we can see God's protection more clearly.  In Christ's rebuke of the storm we also see an illustration that He calms the tempests in the human soul.

What is faith?  Today's reading invites us to ask that question, as it becomes the focus of Christ's answer to the fearful disciples.  In the Greek, the root of the word for faith means "trust."  So it's important that we think of our faith not simply as an intellectually reasoned decision to believe something, but rather an active choice to put our trust in something -- or really, in someone.  Here is where Christ, the One who is both God and man, becomes important in the context of what faith is and means.  Today's reading truly displays evidence of what His Incarnation is and means.  He is at once fully human; that is, He sleeps.  And He is also divine; as my study Bible points out, only God can calm the wind and the sea.   Jesus does not simply "calm" these elements of the world, He commands them.  So now the disciples know (as do we) that to follow a command from Christ means putting their trust in one who is both human and also has expressed signs of the divine, and of course this understanding will grow.  Moreover, when they do embark on their first apostolic mission, and their apostolic journeys in the future, they will understand the One in whom they put their trust, and whose commands they follow -- as do we faithful today.  There is a deeper element, also, to comment on in today's reading.  In Genesis, at the creation of the world, we're told, "The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2).  In the creation of the world, the Spirit of God hovers over the face of the waters, which are chaos.  They are "without form, and void, and there is darkness on the face of the deep."  This begins to tell us of the power of the Logos, the organizing principle, the One who brings order to the elements that are present.  And so it is with the Lord, the same Logos or Word (the meaning of the Greek word Logos) who commanded the elements of chaos into order and form (see also John 1:1-4).  He commands the chaotic sea and wind in an echo of the creation story, and this is clearly part of the understanding the disciples will eventually realize, as do we the faithful who followed.  We put our faith, our trust, in Christ, to help to organize our own tempests and chaos, our thoughts, our lives.  We pray in that faith for the same "order" to be put into our affairs, to help with the health of those for whom we are concerned, to reorder and reconcile our lives to what is good, to teach us how to live.   We ask for calm to our own "disorder" in any dimension.  Jesus commands, "Peace, be still!" and it is this same peace He gives to us.  In His peace is true order, real righteousness, a peace between ourselves and God, and by extension to the world.  It is this good order that we ask for, for which we place our trust in Him.  We ask for God's blessing so that order and good purpose be served through all things in our lives and our use of them.  Let us consider the power of Logos, in whom we place our trust, our faith, and whose true peace we seek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?

Rebuking the Sea, 16th century fresco.  Dionysiou Monastery, Mt. Athos

 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

- Mark 4:35-41

Yesterday we read that, after preaching the parable of the Sower, Jesus taught, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."  And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."   The other side means the other side of the Sea of Galilee, a strange territory for the disciples.

Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  This story illustrates, among other things, the full humanity of Jesus.   My study bible explains that He was asleep because, as a man, he needed rest.  In Christ's Incarnation, He assumed all the natural actions of the flesh, including sleep.  It also teaches us something important about our faith, that it does not render us free from the challenges the world will present to us.  My study bible says that Christ deliberately permits the windstorm to arise while He's sleeping so that the disciples' faith may be perfected, and weaknesses rebuked, so that they will eventually be unshaken by life's temptations.  Their faith is mixed with unbelief:  they show faith in coming to Him, and unbelief when they ask, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"   Coupled with the expression of His full humanity in sleeping, His divine identity is revealed by mastery over creation, a sign of that He is Messiah.  Commands to the sea and waves, my study bible says, can only be issued by God (Job 38:8-11; Psalms 65:5-6, 106:29). 

Many is the time in our lives when we will face great temptations.  There is none so great, perhaps, as when we feel that we ourselves, or our loved ones, are threatened.  These threats may come in many and myriad forms, such as natural disasters, storms such as the one we read about in today's reading, illnesses, war and violence, and a host of other circumstances in which we feel that we ourselves or those about whom we care deeply are threatened.  So there is a depth of reason why our Gospels include stories about the temptations and hardships -- and sheer human fear -- experienced by the disciples even while under the direct care of Christ, even while Jesus was alive as human being in this world.  We pray for strength and for protection as faithful, but we so often forget that included in the understanding of such prayers is the need for our faith.  Our strength is necessary in order to endure temptation and retain our faith, our protection is necessary not simply as vulnerable human beings to physical or other threat, but as beings whose need for faith may be tempted and tested by that which opposes our faith.  What we might frequently forget is the great need we have of faith, and its importance.  Faith is not blindness to adversity.  It does not pretend there is nothing that is threatening to our well-being -- or to our faith.  Far from it!  Faith requires that we recognize that temptations and challenges will come to us, and that the work of faith is to seek God's will through all things.  More clearly, we seek to retain our communion with God through every thing that comes that may threaten that communion, threaten our bond with Creator, threaten our active faith.  The story in today's reading is given to us so that we may understand that God permits challenges to us, temptations.  We are not exempt from the life of humanity because we are faithful.  In our world today, there are many temptations to our faith.  Currently, we are in the midst of what has been declared a pandemic of a variant of a known virus that seems to be highly contagious.  It is most threatening (as are other viruses) to those whose systems are weakened already through disease, or age, or other conditions which impact human health.  There seems to be a great impulse to panic and fear -- and this is precisely where today's reading comes in to give us direction in the midst of such fears.  We must recognize that temptation comes in this form of panic and fear, for they do not do us any good when they are the only things we are willing to hear or to tolerate.  They do not liberate us to think clearly about what we need to do and how to respond.  Neither do they, especially in regard to what we need at this time of Lent, strengthen us in our faith.  They do not help us to follow and listen to the still, small voice that will help us to know how to endure this time, how to care for our loved ones, and how to focus on the necessities of life should they arise to challenge us in the midst of a panic by others.  Moreover, to focus and to understand that such things arise to give us challenges -- and that temptations are challenges that are permitted even to the disciples, the Twelve who will carry the gospel message to the world -- is a most important understanding of our faith.  We are asked to rise -- with God's help -- to the occasion.  We are asked most of all to remain centered within the context of faith, and the One in whom we place our trust.  Life may be threatening in all kinds of ways, but it is a strange thing to experience the calm in the midst of the storm, the moment alone with Christ when He asks, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"   The disciples will undergo many challenges in their lives as His apostles in the future, just as the Church undergoes many challenges in the world at all times.  But what we must ask ourselves first is where our faith is, because through all things we are asked to focus on Christ as the center around which we understand and build everything else.  In times of fear and such temptations, strengthen your faith through prayer.  Take time to do the things we are to do in Lent:  make extra time to be alone to pray or to practice in worship what we know to be good.  Remember to nurture soul and body in adequate rest (as does Jesus in today's reading).  Eat foods that are wholesome and healthy (as Lenten practice teaches us to focus on even more acutely).  Another form of fasting is to simply stay away from those influences who seek or encourage panic and fear, including even friends or other types of influences who focus only on disaster.  Give up all things to God, especially fear, and dwell upon the things we are asked to do as profitable servants:  encourage one another and support one another, shining the light of faith through all that we do and for others as well.  Christ asks us to be the ones who reflect Him, the light of the world.  In the whole history of the Church, it has often been depicted as this boat in the middle of a stormy sea, with Christ at the helm.  Let us dwell upon how our faith does not teach us to fear, but rather to endure.   For that we seek the strength of our faith, and the light of Christ who overcomes -- and we remember that it is indeed our faith which remains the true medicine we need through all things.  Let us heed the words of St. Paul:  "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).  Above is a fresco which gives today's story in its fullness, as well as the expression of both the human and divine natures of Christ.  We see Jesus both asleep and rebuking the windstorm.  In the corner we see something not included specifically in the Gospel but nevertheless implies a particular kind of understanding:  a small demon (upper left) stirring up the windstorm.  This is not meant literally but so that we understand the storm as temptation to our faith, and the One upon whom we rely, even when it seems that God sleeps. 

Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?

 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!" 

- Mark 4:35-41

 Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."   And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."  And with many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"  Power over the elements is another sign of divinity at work, that Christ is divine.  At the same time, the fact that Christ needs sleep is a sign of His full humanity.  My study bible says that, as in this case with the disciples, God often permits difficulties into our lives in order to perfect and strengthen our faith.  The image of Christ and the disciples in the boat is a traditional illustration of the Church itself.  My study bible says that God both permits storms and delivers us through them, so that we can see his protection more clearly.  Christ's rebuke of the storm is also an illustration of His calming the tempests in the human soul.

I'm always struck by the quality of this passage (and the one that will follow), how in some sense it is like the "adventures" in the Greek myths, such as that of Odysseus or Jason.  The disciples set off, following Christ's commands, across the sea.  This is the Sea of Galilee, which several of His disciples know very well as they are fishermen whose home is Capernaum in Galilee.  But this journey is different; here they are asked to cross the sea into strange territory, unfamiliar to them.  This, I find, is a kind of perfect parallel to the spiritual life, where God will lead us to growth of both our faith and thereby enhanced capacities for virtue, such as strength or courage.  It's an odd, sort of paradoxical reality, but the more we depend on God, the greater our capacity for manifesting the strengths that come with faith.  All tests and difficulties seem somehow "designed" so that such an outcome of greater faith and enhanced virtue -- particular that of courage or strength -- is possible.  Just like the apostles in today's reading, we may struggle through terrifying challenges, that ramp up our emotions and bring out even our deepest, most frightening fears and needs we think we have.  But through the work of God, we somehow come out the other side, with something more to us, a greater independence of "the world" and what we thought we needed, and a greater dependence upon God, upon Christ.  The world of psychology reveals that we may have deep-seated fears within us; today's reading teaches us that these are only human, part of the experience of human beings in the world.  But there is more, there is a faith that connects us with something deeper, bigger, transcendent -- and which runs through all things.  There is a thread which we need to follow, and Christ's words we need to reflect upon, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"   We mustn't forget that these disciples are on the journey of a lifetime.  Once they become His disciples, each new challenge will be a challenge to their faith.  One of them will succumb to his own disastrous impulses and betray Christ.  But the "adventure" that starts here is one that goes through their lifetimes.  Their struggles will become greater, and the rewards and outcomes also greater -- bigger than the lives of a handful of men from Galilee, including a few fishermen, could have conceivably become by worldly standards.  Yet, here it is, here is their fear, and Christ with them.  Let us remember this picture when we feel terrified if we are confronted with our deepest fears, and know that Christ is with us, and will see us to a different destiny than one we could imagine for ourselves, even through the challenges, even when everything else seems to let us down or abandon us.

Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!

 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

- Mark 4:35-41

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught: "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  Then He taught in parables: "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the round, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."  And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

  On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.   Here, Jesus directs that His ministry set out in a new direction.  To cross over to the other side of the sea (of Galilee) is to cross into Gentile territory.  So far, He has spent His ministry in Israel (among the "people of God"), and it has spread to the Jewish establishment in Jerusalem, so that they are aware of what He is doing, and at this point seek to find something with which to accuse Him.  We know of His great fame, reflected perhaps in the "other little boats" that were also with Him.

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.   Here's something interesting, an obstacle in the way of His ministry.  We take from this a lesson, that even if we are doing what God wants us to do, nature will not necessarily automatically cooperate -- it's not so that we won't find obstacles for one reason or another.  And then, there is Christ, asleep in the stern on a pillow.  We observe that He takes His rest where and when He can, and also His great calm in the midst of the storm!

And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"   His disciples awaken Him.  They are not calm, at all!  They think they're all perishing.  My study bible points out that "the same Greek word (φιμόω) by which Jesus commands the storm to be still is used for His telling the demon to 'be quiet' in 1:25.  As Lord of all, He commands all.  In obedience, the storm subsides instantly and fully."  The root of this word is "muzzle" so Jesus is truly showing who's in command by His expression of ordering silence and calm.  But another rebuke is in store for the disciples:  "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"

 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"   The Greek word for "fear" in this sentence is different from the one which Jesus used when He asked them, "Why are you so fearful?"  In Jesus' question, the word means also cowardly, and it implies a lack of trust (the real root of the word for faith).  In the word for fear here (as in "they feared exceedingly") is also the meaning of dread or reverence, and it can imply a kind of holy fear or even terror as if one is coming to terms with something awe-provoking and astounding that has been revealed. 

In this boat on the sea, Jesus' identity begins to be revealed more strongly to His disciples.  This is in this sense a private moment on the sea.  They've left the crowds behind, and the followers are those in the little boats with them.  Here, He's with the ones whom He's chosen so that they spend all their time with Him.  The obstacle -- the chaos and violence of the storm -- works to teach them something.  What inspires dread, awe and fear in them is the revelation of His great power, and the wonder of just who He really might be.  This is something new, a manifestation of something beyond what they've known or understood.  And we have to recall to ourselves the newness in this moment.  There's also something reciprocal in this encounter, and that is the mutual astonishment of Jesus and the disciples.  They are awe-struck by the power revealed in Christ even over wind and waves.  But He, first, is astonished by their lack of faith, of trust.  We go back to yesterday's parable about the mustard seed, and recall that in Luke's Gospel, Jesus will refer to the power in faith even the size of a (tiny) mustard seed.  So here, in some sense, we have a mutual surprise:  at the power of this man, Jesus, who reveals His divine capacities, and at the disciples, whose faith seems to be so small.  It's an interesting encounter between the human and the divine, one in which we come to know ourselves better, and also the power that Christ brings into the world.  I'm always astonished at what a little faith can do, and really, as to how little faith (and how much cowardice) I truly must have sometimes.  It's a lesson to us about obstacles, and perseverance, and also about trust.  We turn and turn again to Christ, we learn from our experience, and (hopefully!) grow in our faith.