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 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus continued in His preaching of parables, after giving the parable of the Sower.  He said, "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 reveled, 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 may such parable 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!"  My study Bible comments that Christ's mastery over creation is one more sign that He is the Messiah, and is divine.  Commands to the wind and the sea can only be issued by God (Job 38:8-11; Psalm 66:5-6, 107:29).  He was asleep because He is both human and divine, and as a man, Christ needed rest.  In the Incarnation, He assumed all the natural actions of the flesh, and sleep is one of those.  This image of Christ and His disciples in a boat is traditionally used to illustrate the Church, my study Bible tells us.  It says that God both permits storms and delivers us through them, so that we can see God's protection more clearly.  Jesus' rebuke of the storm is also an icon, or illustration of His calming the tempests in the souls of human beings.  

 

This image of Christ and the disciples on the boat is quite an interesting one.  Again, as my study Bible commented, it functions as an icon of the Church.  The stern of a boat is at the rear, so in this scene Christ is not guiding the boat nor giving commands for where to go.  Not only is He in the rear of the boat, but He's in a place where things would be stored (such as the pillow on which He sleeps, or possibly fishing nets).  It's a particular image for us of the times we feel that God is not awake to our peril or circumstances, neither does God seem to be actively guiding us through them.  At those times, like the disciples, we might ask the same question, "Don't You care?" ("Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?")  There are those who believe that the world or cosmos was created by God but then works on its own, without influence or energies of the presence of God with us and active in our lives.  But, aside from an indication that indeed, Jesus was fully human and so needed His sleep, this story tells us quite the opposite.  It seems to say that Christ had such confidence in the directions He's given the disciples prior to their crossing of the Sea of Galilee that He must ask them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  This tells us something powerful about how we're to live our faith, in the confidence of what we've been taught and known, and in trusting Christ's commands given to us for how we're to live our lives.  All that we've been taught, and all that we know, from His teachings in the Gospels, through St. Paul and all the saints, the traditions of the Church, and the countless faithful who have come before us and will come after walk in a faith that is all about trust in the One from whom we've been given all things.  This isn't trust in some distant, unseeing, hands-off God we don't know.  It is trust in the One who came to be one of us, lived with us, crossed this sea with the disciples, and slept in the back of the boat through a windstorm on the sea that frightened these seasoned fishermen for whom this sea is home territory.  For Christ is God with us, in our faith, our worship and prayers, and the communion of the saints, in our liturgies and Scripture and the gospel message we're given.  In the efforts of these men who strain at rowing on the sea and who would follow in carrying the gospel message to the world, so we are carried also as we trust in the only One who may truly command peace. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life

 

 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

On the following day, when the people were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, or His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

 

- John 6:16-27 

 

Yesterday we read that, after healing a paralytic and disputing with the religious leaders, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.  And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.  Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.  Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"  But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.  Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little."  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"  Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down."  Now there was much grass in the place.  So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting own; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.  So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost."  Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.  Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did. said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."  Therefore, when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by himself alone.

 

  Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.  Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.  So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.  But He said to them "It is I; do not be afraid."  Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.  Here we are given the fifth sign of seven recorded in John's Gospel.  We are in chapter 6 of John's Gospel, in which there are repeated parallels to the Exodus of Israel from Egypt.  Pertaining to this passage, we recall that Moses led the people across the Red Sea, walking on dry ground in the middle of the water (Exodus 14:15-31).  Here, my study Bible points out, Christ sends His disciples across the sea, and then He walks on the sea as if it were dry ground.  

On the following day, when the people were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, or His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.  And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"  Jesus answered and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."  Once again, the people seek Jesus, desperate for a type of political Messiah who will rule as king, deliver them from enemies, and one who will in particular provide all their needs.  But this is not the mission of Jesus Christ.  They recognize only that they ate of the loaves and were filled, but Christ's signs point beyond worldly reality, to the presence of God's Kingdom in the Person of Jesus Christ. 

 

In today's reading we witness once again how fervently these people desire for Jesus to be their king.  So much so, they continue to seek Him although they have no idea where He had gone, because He walked on the water toward His disciples rowing in the middle of the Sea of Galilee.  Now we might think of many reasons for this, not least of all because it is one of the seven signs given to us in John's Gospel.  As written in commentary above, it parallels another element of the story of the Exodus, when Israel escaped Egypt in the middle of the water.  But if we think of this parallel of escaping Egypt, we might also consider the parallel that applies to Jesus Himself, and the fact that the people wish to make Him king.  Egypt, in the story of Israel, can possibly stand for many things we can think of. But in this case we might recall the Israelites longing for while Egypt while they wandered on their journey following Moses.  Just prior to the Lord's miraculous feeding in the wilderness for the Israelites, they moaned, longing for Egypt again, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger" (see Exodus 16:3-4).  They longed for the "fleshpots" of Egypt, the material plenty in the midst of an oppressive rule opposed to their faith.  We could possibly view, from an entirely human perspective, what it means that Christ has escaped across the sea in order to evade the people who wish to make Him king.  To become king would surely be something widely desirable in strictly material terms.  One would have all the servants one wanted, all the goods one wanted, all the power one wanted.  In a sense, that collection of things:  material goods, power, servants, parallel Egypt, for when the Israelites left Egypt it was a powerful empire with Pharaohs who ruled absolutely.  But this is not Christ's mission, and it's not the mission for how He is going to lead God's people to the promised land of His new covenant.  The people in today's story would prefer that Jesus were king.  Think what such a Messiah could do with worldly power.   In purely material and earthly terms, this is a great temptation -- to believe that the world can be redeemed with worldly power.  But that is a human delusion, and Jesus will have none of it, for it is not His mission.  He has an entirely different reality to bring to this world, the presence of the Kingdom of God -- and all the material worldly gain He could command is not part of the mission.  That is not how He will bring abundant life into the world.  So let us consider the extraordinary lengths we read Jesus goes through to avoid being forcefully made king.  He walks on the water to assure the disciples that no matter where they are, He is with them.  He does not come to all the people this way, but only a handful of disciples, seemingly powerless, straining at rowing in the middle of the sea in the middle of a great windstorm. But it is that place -- isolated from the world, in the dark, a storm blowing, with these few men who follow Him -- where the Savior of the world chooses to be, where His mission takes its shape to bring life to the world.  This is the place Jesus must be, the place He chooses to be, reassuring His (at that time) tiny flock, telling them,  "It is I; do not be afraid."  Sometimes you and I may also be called upon to make choices to sacrifice the glamor of the world for the love of God and the few who desire that goal with us.  Let us be faithful to our mission as well, as Jesus gives us the mission:  "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

Where is your faith?

 

 "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 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 has just told a parable about planting seeds, the word of God.  The parables themselves are told so that those "with ears to hear" can come to know the mysteries of God.  Here Jesus speaks of the revelations to those who "hear" and seek Him, and keep His word.  He is emphasizing the importance of living that word, taking it to heart, and making it a part of one's life.  

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 will was not to deny His mother and brothers.  Instead, Jesus is correcting both His family members and His hearers, according to St. John Chrysostom, "to the right idea concerning Himself," that the family of His Kingdom "is not by nature but by virtue."  This passage placed here emphasizes the teaching above -- that we all must "take heed how you hear."  That is, this is a call to all, even to family members, and creating communion.

 

 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 comments that Christ deliberately permits the windstorm to arise while He is sleeping in order to perfect the disciples' faith, and also to rebuke their weaknesses -- all so that they will eventually be unshaken by life's temptations.  One can simply imagine what they will go through as apostles going out to all the world after Pentecost.  Here, my study Bible says, their faith is still mixed with unbelief.  They showed faith when they came to Him, but unbelief when they said, "We are perishing."

One must marvel not so much as the signs of Christ's authority, power, and divine identity (although of course, they are marvelous signs of the presence of God with us), but at the wisdom of God's testing.  So often we are inclined simply to forget this part of the Bible, although this thread is shot through all the stories we will ever read in the Scriptures.  Let's take the centerpiece of the Old Testament, Israel wandering in the desert following Moses.  How much testing is involved in that particular chunk of the Scriptures, and is so much a part of everything we learn in the Bible?  Jesus Himself is tested:  He is led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit in order to be tempted and tested by the devil.  This is clearly an essential and important part of the story of faith.  Jesus says, "Remember Lot's wife" in Luke's chapter 17, when He is teaching the apostles about the end times.  She was the one who turned back to look upon the remains of the places destroyed by God, and was herself then turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:12-29).  We are prepared by God for endurance, for the difficulties, dangers, and temptations of this world -- so that we continue to move forward more deeply into our faith.  As commented above, think about the apostles and the things that they would encounter when they went out into the world after Pentecost.  If we read the Letters of St. Paul, we find constant conflict and difficulties and challenges.  How many of the apostles became martyrs?  John the Evangelist seems to have lived a long life, but it was one of persecution and exile.  All of this is not to discourage, but to help us to understand that we are on a journey with a purpose, and that purpose is not some simple plan to lead a life with no challenges and no achievements that correspond to those challenges.  If we look closely at the passage of the windstorm, and Christ's miracle, we can clearly understand that His "sign" comes entirely unexpectedly.  Many of us have the experience of feeling like there is no hope to do something we need to do, only to find that in surprising ways everything works out.  This is so often the outcome of prayer through a difficult circumstance that one is tempted to think that everyone reading this will understand through their own experience.  Often, things do not work the way we necessarily prayed for them to work, but the outcome nonetheless is provided which can lead to other things, or lessons learned.  At any rate, the testing becomes another contribution to our own power of faith, and our capacity to endure in it (Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13).  The stories of the Bible give us the answer that more is demanded of us by God than we are necessarily prepared to know we are capable of giving, or achieving.  But it is Christ who calls us forward, who tells us that we are those who have the capacity to know the mysteries of the Kingdom (see yesterday's reading, above), or that we might be called on to rise to occasions we have never contemplated.   This includes learning the discernment of the wise ("take heed how you hear"), even though we didn't start out with that wisdom.   Everything Jesus teaches in today's reading is a kind of preparation, a teaching of readiness for something ahead.  We might call it mission, or even just a calling, but Christ's words all give us a sense that His mission is to give us a mission -- something that challenges us for our lifetimes, in terms of how we will live and carry His kingdom into the world.  In a time when so much is taken for granted, Christ still prepares us for fortitude, to be called to something greater than we know.  It is an honor to be so called, an unsurpassed gift that calls us into His family, to be like Him and to follow Him.  The grace He offers is always waiting for us, to "hear the word of God and do it."

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 

 

Yesterday we read that 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."  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!"  My study Bible says that Christ's mastery over creation is another sign that He is the Messiah and is divine.  Commands to the wind and to the sea could only be issued by God (Job 38:8-11; Psalm 66:5-6; 107:29).  But Jesus was asleep because, as a human being, He needed rest.  In Christ's Incarnation, my study Bible explains, He assumed all the natural actions of the flesh, including sleep.  This image of Christ and His disciples in a boat is traditionally used to illustrate the Church.  Commentary notes that God both permits storms and delivers us through them, so that we can see God's protection more clearly.  Here, my study Bible notes, permitting the windstorm to arise while He is sleeping is in order to perfect the disciples' faith and to rebuke their weaknesses, so they will eventually be unshaken by life's temptations.  Christ's statement to the disciples, "How is it that you have no faith?" might more accurately read, "How do you still not have faith?"  They showed faith when they came to Him, but unbelief when they claimed we are perishing.  Additionally, Christ's rebuke of the storm is also an illustration of His calming the tempests in the human soul.  

All of us know that life is full of ups and downs, difficulties and struggles.  But here Jesus seems to affirm for us that this is par for the course for the life of faith.  In fact, in the literal sense of the Greek, Jesus seems to be somewhat surprised:  "How do you still not have faith?"  It will not be the last time He will marvel at the disciples' lack of faith or understanding, either (see Mark 8:13-21).  Apparently, we are to infer from this passage that the life of faith is one in which we will continually face challenges.  Certainly this was true for the disciples and for the early Church, and, as history progresses, we can see that new questions and new discernment seem constantly necessary.  The history of the Church is a long history of conflicts and struggles for answers.  But the challenge of our individual lives of faith is similar.  We will always have new issues before us, new questions to answer in light of our faith.  But the one thing that is asked of us seems to be not to have all the answers, but rather to be persistent and to endure in faith.  That is, we need to take confidence that our struggle is known and that our answers are to be found in persistence and courage.  It's wise to consider that the word faith, in Greek, is rooted in the word "to trust."  To put one's faith in something is to trust in it, and we trust to Christ through all things.  We are mindful of the story of Israel in the Old Testament, wandering for forty years as guided by Moses to the Promised Land.  We can look more deeply at the story of Moses, and how Moses never entered that land himself, and this, too, tells us about the importance of the journey, of the persistence of faith, of our continual prayer resting in God to help us find the way we're asked to go, to remain in that faith and follow.  We trust in Christ that there is a way He wants us to meet our challenges, and that every new struggle is simply a challenge for deepening faith, for growth, for the pursuit of the goal He has in mind for us.  That is, to shape the person He desires us to become in fulfillment of the promise of discipleship.  Through our struggles and the twists and turns of our lives, we are shaped in faith.  We are meant to grow into something, to fulfill something through time and through experience, and this is the purpose of God for us.  Let us continue through our own windstorms and waves, frightening perspectives in which life may seem to pose dangers and perils we didn't count on, but understand that through them all our courage is about persistence in faith, finding the way of Christ for us.  The story gives us an image of Christ asleep in the stern of the boat, and this may serve to teach us that there will be times when God will seem to us to be sleeping and not hear our prayer, nor know of our peril.  But that is just a time for testing, for finding new ground of faith, for deepening our confidence in facing the future and knowing what we are to be about.

 

 

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.

 

 

Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?

Christ Commanding 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 int he 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 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."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along int he 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!"   On this passage my study Bible has several different observations.  The first is regarding the Lord's mastery over creation:  it's another sign of Christ's divinity and His identity as Messiah.  Commands to the wind and the sea could only be issued by God (Job 38:8-11; Psalms 66:5-6, 107:29).  On the other hand, Jesus was asleep because, as human being, He needed rest.  In His Incarnation, He assumed all the natural actions of the flesh, of which sleep is one.  This image of Christ and His disciples in a boat is traditionally used as an illustration of the Church.  My study Bible adds that God both permits storms and also delivers us through them, so that we can see God's protection more clearly.  Jesus' rebuke of the storm also serves as illustration of His calming the tempests in the human soul.  

Why would God leave us to go through difficulties, fears, and tribulations?  Why, indeed, would Jesus deliberately lead the disciples through this frightening storm as they crossed over the Sea of Galilee?  My study Bible says that Christ deliberately permits this windstorm to arise while He sleeps in order to perfect the disciples' faith and rebuke their weaknesses -- so that they would eventually be unshaken by life's temptations.  My study Bible further points out that in today's reading the disciples' faith is still mixed with unbelief:  they showed faith when they came to Jesus, but unbelief when they said, "Do You not care that we are perishing?"   Many of us might be tempted to ask God the same question when we go through difficulties in life, especially when we can't discern God's response for us to any of our troubles and the pain we are experiencing.   There are all kinds of fears and tribulations that life can bring to us.   The Scriptures do not shy away from illustrating the human experience of fear or despair:  In Psalm 39 we read this plea:  "Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not Your peace at my tears! For I am Your passing guest, a sojourner, like all my fathers. Spare me, that I may find the place of refreshment before I depart and am no more!"   In Psalm 44, we read what might be the words of the disciples, "Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise, and do not cast us off forever!"  It seems that we are not spared from all of these experiences of what it is to be a human being; even on our faith journey, we will experience the reality of terror and fear and dread.  This is part of our inheritance of an imperfect world.  And so, we have to ask ourselves why this is so.  Why would Christ coming into our world not simply set it aright, banish death and sins, bring us back to life in the Garden?  I would venture to guess that we are called to a higher purpose than that, that human beings, in our capacity for "God-likeness" are meant to thoroughly experience the reality of our world and its problems, and in so doing call upon faith to transcend and transform, to become a part of that force for change that is our call back to God in the gospel of the Kingdom.  It's not about fixing the world or setting it aright or making it perfect; rather, we are invited in to the beauty of faith, the goodness of the Kingdom, the truth of Christ who is with us even though He may seem to be sleeping.  For despite our fears and despair and dread, God is with us in the form of love.  And although our prayers may seem delayed in their answer, oftentimes our response is subtle, may go without noticing, but is reassurance nonetheless that God listens, hears, and offers not perfection in some worldly sense, but rather a different answer, a peace, a capacity for faith that shores up assurance and confidence, lets fall away the things that will fall, but also teaches us what will endure.  For life is about finding what's real and releasing the false hopes of what isn't.  In today's story, the disciples travel across the Sea of Galilee, where they will find a strange scene of demonic influence, something entirely alien to what they know.  But they will also discover a mission and the power of Christ to set aright and heal and redeem with new purpose.  They will find their calling and the new life to which He leads them.  So may it also be with us.

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 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus said to His disciples, "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!"  My study bible comments on this passage that it shows Christ's mastery over creation, and thus gives another sign that He is the Messiah and divine.  Commands to the sea and waves, it notes, can only be issued by God if we take a look at Scripture (Job 38:8-11; Psalm 66:5-6, 107:29).  Jesus shows His human in being asleep, as He needed rest.  In the Incarnation, He assumed all the natural actions of the flesh, and sleep is a human need.  This image of Christ with His disciples in a boat is a traditional one used to illustrate the Church.  My study bible says that God both permits storms and also delivers us through them, so that we can see God's protection more clearly.  Christ's rebuke of the storm is also an illustration of His calming the tempests in the human soul.  The Church has also traditionally seen Christ as permitting this windstorm to arise while He sleeps in order to perfect the faith of the disciples and to rebuke their weaknesses, a part of their learning and preparation for their future as apostles, so they won't be unshaken by the temptations or trials of life.  Here the disciples' faith is mixed with unbelief.  They showed faith when they awoke Him, but unbelief when they said, "We are perishing."

There is a particular blog that I like to read on occasion, written by a priest of the Orthodox Church of America.  Recently I was asking in a comment forum about the state of anxiety I seem to feel and detect all around myself and in many people from all walks of life and perspectives.  It is an uneasy feeling of instability, a worry about what is coming next.  The father reminded me that we are repeatedly told in the Gospels "Do not fear" and "Do not be anxious" in one form and another.  Today's reading is one of those times, as Jesus asks the disciples, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"   A friend reminds me that, in fact, we are to focus on the state of our souls first, for this is the real life Christ emphasizes -- and then "all these things [about which we worry] shall be added to you" (Luke 12:31).  God knows we have needs, God knows our lives and our necessities.  God became one of us, as illustrated in this story, and lived among us, so that God could teach us what it is to become more "like God."  Faith is possibly the most necessary ingredient in achieving this "God-likeness."  It becomes the key to setting forward on a path that is dictated not simply by our own simplistic point of view in which our fears may sway us at any time, but rather one in which we are also led forth by grace, setting forth a way to grow and to transcend and to walk in the ways He takes us.  In this story, Jesus deliberately sets out across the Sea of Galilee into unusual and strange territory.  The story reads almost like a passage out of the myths of Homer, in which these men set forth across a story sea to an unknown destiny (where indeed a strange and unusual sight awaits them).   These seasoned fishermen, now frightened on their own known Sea of Galilee as they cross over to the other side in the windstorm, are being trained to become fishers of men.  As apostles they will eventually be going out to the whole world of strange lands in which to preach the gospel.  It serves us as an example of how life is lived in a state of prayer, if we but pay attention.  God will build up our capacity for learning how to live God's way through various tests and trials.  It is not that there won't be things that shock us, make us fear, or severely test our capacities and resources.  But our own capacity to face ourselves and our fears and shortcomings is something that is gradually drawn out through a prayerful life.  There will always be our own fears we need to discard, to work past, and ways of thinking we need to exchange for new ones on this journey.  Thus, the image of Christ and the disciples in a boat on uncharted waters  as a perennial image of the Church.  So as we, also, embark in uncharted, unexplained, and unpredictable waters ourselves, let us think of this picture.  There will be times when we consider the Lord to be sleeping and unresponsive to our own fears when we're surrounded by and facing the unknown.  But we should look to Christ's question:  "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"   And emphatically our response must be to seek out that faith, to seek Him, and find the way He wishes us to carry on through it all, and whatever may come in life.  Let us have faith that He will provide us with His way, that our lives are not meant to be without pitfalls, the unknown, and times in which we are tested.

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

 

 "No one, when he has lit 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 it came to pass 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 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 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."  In the Sermon on the Mount, this teaching about the lampstand and the light comes shortly after the Beatitudes.  But here in Luke's Gospel it is juxtaposed shortly after the teaching of the first parable, the Sower.  And so it takes on a slightly different contrast, because Jesus adds, "Therefore take heed how you hear."  He has already spoken of those with ears to hear, who can use their capacity to perceive spiritual truths, who want and desire them, and to live this life of discipleship.  But here He goes a step further, and emphasizes our true desire for the mysteries of the Kingdom, and the living of those truths.  These things that are secret may be revealed and come to light.  Should we so desire to hear, we may also receive more.  For those who do not desire to hear, "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."  My study bible explains that it was not Christ's will to deny His mother and brothers.  Instead, we should understand this as correction for both them and His hearers -- that is, according to St. John Chrysostom, "to the right idea concerning Himself," that the family of His Kingdom "is not by nature but by virtue."  See also 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!"   Jesus directs that the disciples and he should cross over the Sea of Galilee.  My study bible suggests that He deliberately permits the windstorm to arise while He is sleeping, so that He may perfect the disciples' faith and rebuke their weaknesses.   In this way, they will eventually be unshaken by life's temptations.  Here their faith is still mixed with unbelief.  They showed faith when they came to Him, but unbelief when they said, "We are perishing."

The absolute faith that Christ teaches is the same one with which He enters into His own public ministry.  Without fail, he puts His trust in God the Father, and so in this scene in the boat, He also asks His disciples to do so as well -- and by extension He asks us for confidence in our faith, in that we put our trust in Him.  What does it mean to do this?  In the first place, that leads to some complicated conditions.  Do we always expect a particular outcome?  Is Christ's direction for us -- the way our lives are shaped via our faith -- always going to be what we expect or want?  This kind of faith that Jesus displays Himself, as well as the faith He asks for us, first of all requires us to be capable of putting certain things aside in order to really deepen and accept this faith.  That is the life of the Cross.  We might imagine many things that we would love to do, or to be, or to have.  But the life of faith is not about fulfilling our wishes and dreams, nor the fantasies that arise from popular imagination, sales marketing, and keeping up with the Joneses.  So often the grass that seems so much greener isn't at all -- and this is the way that our faith takes us:  away from looking for the greener grass and accepting instead the words of the heart in communion with God, where God rests and asks us to rest in God's love.  That place of trust and faith is at its deepest in us first an asking to let everything else go.  It isn't a sense in which we might need to give up everything on some permanent and lasting basis.  No, this place of faith is the place in the heart where we go and take rest and find communion -- and that moment of communion requires us to surrender and give up everything else for the fullness of that love.  It is from there that we take our respite and nourishment for the inner power of the soul and the confidence that faith gives.  For if a child goes to a parent with some ulterior motive in mind, something the child wants, then where is the fullness of the bond with the parent who can teach and offer something better that the child, in immaturity, can't know?  Do we expect our children to say, "If I don't get this, my parent doesn't love me"?  No, the fullness of love comes from a "no holds barred" kind of depth -- and this is more than a parent/child relationship.  This is Creator to creature, and no one can know what is better for us than Christ.   We don't know how the disciples felt about crossing the Sea of Galilee; all we know is that this is what Jesus asked them to do.  Faith comes in the confidence of trust in Him, and that asks us to be welcoming to God's direction for us.  In the story of His mother and brothers, Christ points to this fact of faith when He makes it clear that the bond between Himself and His followers is also something necessary and real, and something which might include His family, but in fact goes more deeply into the soul and one's identity.  There might be times when we need to suspend social or family "rules" to more clearly listen to the Lord, to give faith the first priority, and to open to the power of that place of love.  It is not a denial of our lives nor ingratitude nor revocation of personal ties.  But it is a cementing and accepting of the power of faith and communion, the connection to Christ that forms the Body of Christ in us and among us, the life of the Kingdom.   And then we come finally, to the first part of today's reading:  the teaching about the lampstand and how we hear.  Tell me how we open our ears to hear if we are not willing to suspend what already fills our minds and ears with notions of how we're supposed to live, in order to more fully listen to the word of God, the whispering of the wisdom of Christ in the heart?  How are we supposed to have ears to hear, if they are filled with the latest gossip, the demands of the time, the trend on Facebook?  We must put those things aside for the moment to pray, put them where they don't interfere with the suspension of time in the heart, the time we spend with God's light, in order to more fully receive.  It is only this way that we can have light to share -- and that we can also receive the "more" that will be given, so that what we have will not be taken away.  It is a question of suspending the loud voices and noises of the world so that we can truly hear, and the hush in the heart wherein God is with us and within us -- just as it is in forgiveness and letting go that we are free enough to find God's way for us through all things.