We are following the topic of the previous month, from the same Gospel of Mark 4:35-41,
Initial Prayer
Lord God,
Give us strength and courage
to follow your Son Jesus,
wisdom and understanding to know
his ways and do not permit our weakness
and fear take control of our lives
but surrender to Him and allow Him
to be the sole owner of our lives.
He who lives and reigns for ever
and ever Amen.
‘LECTIO DIVINA’
- Read the Gospel of Mark 4:35-41: read it slowly and listen attentively to the scriptures with the ‘ear of your heart’. What word, sentence or phrase stands out for you?
- Reflect: read the passage again and pay attention of what touches you; why is it meaningful for you. What thought or reflection comes to you.
- Respond: read the passage again and this time respond spontaneously to the word of God. In other words, make a dialogue with God what comes from within you. What gift does this passage lead me to ask for from the Lord?
- Stay with the Word: read the passage a final time and rest in the word. Allow God to speak to you in deep silence. Don’t say anything just listen to God’s words. What is He saying?
- Take now the word, sentence or phase, into your daily life/activity; allow it to become part of you. Always listen to it, reflect on it, pray over it and rest on it as time allows during the day. Then allow the Word lead you action.
Concluding your ‘Lectio Divina’ with the ‘Our Father’…
Reflection: In the last three episodes of Marks Gospel we reflected upon ‘discipleship’, they allowed us to identify ourselves with the disciples of Jesus, how? We too met Jesus, He called us to stay with Him to listen to his teaching and become his new family by doing the Father’s will. In this new text 4:35-41, we will learn how fragile and vulnerable the faith of the disciples is despite being with Jesus for some time. Notwithstanding all that Jesus assures them by his presence.
Central message: “’Why are you so frightened? Have you still no faith? Who can this be?
- “Why are you so frightened? Have you still no faith?” After teaching the crowds in parables about the mystery of the Kingdom of God (Mk 4:1-34), Jesus begins to reveal it in his very person with power to his disciples. That is what Mark wants to show in this text. The Gospel describes a storm in the lake being Jesus and his disciples in the boat. He is in a deep sleep while the disciples are in total panic. There is a strong wind and the waves breaking into the boat. They were in great distress for fear of drowning. Jesus remains calm and in peace and total trust for he is in the hands of his Father.
We sometimes feel like being in the same situation in the sea of life where we experience storms and huge waves which strike us so hard that almost lose control of our lives and make us live in fear and hopelessness. Meanwhile Jesus seems asleep in our boat; no divine power intervenes to save us from the difficulties and struggles. But Jesus is present there in the middle of our tempest we just don’t perceive Him because fear has blind us, has made us lose our little faith in Him. Why are you so frightened? Am I not here with you? Yes, there He is full power to calm the storms of your life and to bring peace, security, calmness and trust once again. “He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet now Be calm!’” Just believe, trust and let Him control the storms of your life. - “Who can this be?”: When Jesus calms the sea He says: “Have you still no faith?” The disciples were dumbfounded they did not know what to respond instead they asked themselves: “Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him”. Jesus is not recognised by his disciples despite the fact they have been with him long enough to know who he was. That can happen to us, we have been initiated in the faith by receiving our baptism and the other sacraments, going to church and reading the Scriptures, etc. and we still do not know Jesus enough, how is he present in our lives at any moment and at any circumstance. Later in the Gospel Jesus will ask his disciple who do you think am I? Because he wants to make sure that they not only know Him but understand Him. So allow this question stir your curiosity and eagerness to know Jesus better day by day as you read the Gospel.
Some questions for our reflexion
- What are the storms and violent waves striking you today?
- What do you cope with them?
