Thamwar Monsang csc.
Readings: 2 Sam 12: 1-7a, 10-17; Mk 4: 35-41
In both the readings of the day, a progression is observed, from chaos to orderliness, from tension to tranquillity, from great storm to great calmness. In the first reading, David is profoundly disturbed as prophet Nathan prophesies that the Lord will raise up trouble against him.
Similarly, in the Gospel, the disciples experience tension as a formidable storm attempts to topple the boat despite Jesus being with them. They are gripped by fear and anxiety as the boat is swamped by the storm, revealing the delicate balance between faith and fear, two facets of the same coin that play a pivotal role in our daily lives. Often, fear becomes a stumbling block on our path to complete faith in Jesus Christ, challenging and shaking our faith.
The disciples’ faith, too, faces a profound challenge in the face of fear on the boat, with a terrifying storm and waves assaulting them. Both readings convey the precariousness of our existence in the world, emphasizing that at any moment, our lives can be disrupted by storms of suffering, disease, injustice, oppression, etc., even with Jesus by our side.
What we need to understand is that they are only testing grounds wherein we have a chance to prove our faith in God and thereby get saved by the hand of God. When faced with storms of challenges and sufferings, instead of succumbing to anxiety or losing faith, let us emulate king David and turn to God in prayer to experience the Providence of God in our lives consistently.