SOCL, Sunday12B
- Admin
- Jun 19, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 2, 2024
Sunday June 23, 2024
Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?.
See
While it is not comfortable, to be in crisis is probably the natural state of the Christian project. Even in Jesus’ day: “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. (Luke 6:26) Likewise, quite early on, the story of the storm at sea was read as a kind of allegory, representing the (later) church undergoing trials. The natural feeling of being abandoned is captured in the raw emotion of Mark’s account. Mark also tells us where to seek help: Who then is this? Like the disciples, we have no full understanding of Jesus and yet, like them, to him we turn.
Listen
Reflect
(Mark 4:35-41)
-The image of a boat in a stormy sea is a symbol of life in difficult times and can represent inner turmoil, anxiety and high emotions. When you have been in such circumstances, perhaps a “Jesus person” came to your assistance and calmed you down? Recall that person with gratitude.
-The image can also be applied to a family, a community, a parish, or any other group. Remember people who have had a gift of bringing peace to troubled situations.
-The significance of miracles in the Gospels is that they show Jesus as one who brings God’s power to bear on human need and suffering. Have there been times when you have been a channel for this healing power of God, holding a crying child in your arms, calming the anxiety of a friend, or being a peacemaker in a group to which you belong?
Pray
In the beginning, O God, your word subdued the chaos; in the fullness of time you sent Jesus, your Son, to rebuke the forces of evil and bring forth a new creation. By that same power, transform all our fear into faith and awe in your saving presence. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
References
-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024, June 23). Twelfth Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062324.cfm
-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings/
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