June 20, 2021- Be Still

Gospel Mk 4:35-41

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Let us cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.
And other boats were with him.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

This week’s Gospel passage is wonderful yet frustrating. When bad things happen, it is difficult to remain quiet and still in the way Christ is asking the disciples to. The disciples are faced with a life-threatening situation and are asked to remain quiet and still, while I have a hard time remaining quiet and still when I am caught in bad traffic!

In this life, we are often met with much more challenging situations than being caught in traffic, such as the death of a loved one, financial hardship, illness, and many others. When our faith is not strong enough, it is easy to become anxious, depressed, and angry when facing these challenges. I think the important thing to reflect on here is that Christ is not telling the disciples, “Be happy!” He is asking them to be still and not give into fear. He wants them to remember that he is more powerful than any storm.

No matter what happens in this life, God will take care of us and be with us always, as difficult as it is to see in the challenging moments. We often feel abandoned, think we are without guidance, and experience serious suffering. However, God is asking us to remain calm, keep faith in Him, and know that God’s plan is in everything.

If you have experienced these moments in the past, you can probably reflect back on them now and see that God was with you every step of the way. If we turn to Him, we see that he is always there. When these challenging moments arise, consider returning to today’s Gospel and remember that God is with you even now. Be still, and do not be terrified.