www.vocation.com - 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Introductory Prayer: Almighty and merciful God, your Son took flesh in human weakness to deliver the weak. By the mystery of his death and resurrection, protect us from the forces of sin and death against which our own strength cannot prevail. We ask this through the same Christ Our Lord.

Petition: Jesus, I trust in you. Strengthen my trust.

Gospel: Mark 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 him 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?"

1. Waves Were Breaking Over the Boat.

Just because Jesus is in the boat it does not mean that the waves will not buffet our vessel. Similarly, we cannot grow content just because we are living a life of grace, our prayer is strong, and we are frequenting the sacraments. We must not assume that just because we do as we ought, life will necessarily be smooth and everything will turn out as we wish. The important thing for us is that Jesus is in the boat of our lives, especially when moments of crisis and difficulty present themselves. His presence in our lives is the foundation that gives us hope and strength whether the waters be calm or turbulent.

In life's difficult and painful moments, faith and prayer are the Christian's best medicine and surest weapons. Through faith we learn to discover God's hand in these trials and accept the crosses he allows in our lives with love, patience and great hope. For a Christian, physical and moral suffering takes on deep meaning and redemptive value when it is offered to God through Christ crucified. In him we find our strength, our comfort and the solution to all our problems (Fr. Marcial Maciel, Envoy III, 48).

2. Teacher, Do You Not Care That We Are Perishing?

Anyone who has ever felt the waves of temptation, suffering, injustice and confusion flood the boat of their soul will understand how naturally the disciple's question bursts forth from their heart. Moments when we encounter forces we cannot always control bring us face-to-face with our own fragility and, at times, our own mortality. What seems to heighten the problem is the sense that all this is happening, and somehow God seems indifferent to it. On these occasions the heart naturally turns to God and asks, "Don't you care? -- in other words, Don't you love me?" "It is precisely here that we see how important it is for us to experience God's love and mercy. Remember that, next to sin, discouragement is the greatest obstacle to holiness. Only those who do not trust in God lose heart." (Letter of Fr. Marcial Maciel, March 8, 1952)

3. Why Are You Terrified? Do You Not Yet Have Faith?

St. Paul tells us that he too felt a form of the waves breaking over his "boat", so he begged our Lord to take away the thorn in his flesh. The response he received is one of the great lessons of Christianity: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9) Once we have freely placed our lives in Christ's hands (or invited him into our boats) he will always expect us to believe, trust and love him. The path he will mark out for us will stretch our faith, hope and love with the goal of making them grow and mature. To correspond to this expectation, he grants us his grace. It is one of his many ways of saying, " am in the boat with you and that is always sufficient."

Conversation with Christ: Blessed Lord, you know my weaknesses and shortcomings. Despite them, I truly believe that with you in my life I can do all everything you ask. In your goodness grant me the grace to keep my eyes on you even when the winds and the waves of life seem to threaten my well-being. Mother Most Pure, make my heart only for Jesus.

Questionnaire: This optional questionnaire is intended to help you evaluate your life in light of the inspirations God just gave you in these moments you spent with him in prayer.

1. In what areas of my life do I feel that the "waves are braking over the boat"? Have I spoken to Christ about these? What does he say to me?

2. Do times of trial make me feel as though Christ is indifferent to me or as though he is in the boat with me and that is sufficient?

3. What is the biggest obstacle to my complete trust in God? How am I cultivating the virtue of faith?