stormy weather

Jun 19, 2021

We know well today’s Gospel account of Jesus asleep in the boat with his disciples full of fear as stormy weather threatens to overtake them. The picture is vivid, wind, rain, rough sea and the terrified faces of the disciples with Jesus soundly sleeping, seemingly without a care in the world. The writer even emphasises Jesus’ comfort adding that Jesus had his “head on a cushion.”

The odd thing is that it was Jesus who had earlier in the evening suggested that they take the boat and cross over to the other side of the lake. Did Jesus not know the storm would blow up and threaten to swamp the boat?

We know the middle bit of the account, a storm blows up and the disciples get frightened waking Jesus and asking, Do you not care? We are going down!

Jesus wakes and commands the wind and the sea to be calm and, at his word, peace returns.

Then comes the key question for the disciples and for each of us.

In this account from Mark (a little different from Matthew’s telling), Jesus asks why they were so frightened and then adds, how is it that you have no faith? Note that detail, not ‘you of little faith’ (as in Matthew’s account) but how is it that you have NO faith?

I often hear people comment that their faith is weak, or that they have little faith. People pray for a strengthening of faith. I often feel the same way.

Like St. Paul I too often find myself doing the things I don’t want to do and not doing the very things I deeply desire to do. In these all too regular situations I blame my weak faith.

In today’s gospel reading Jesus is suggesting that people don’t have little or weak faith. Instead people either have faith, or they don’t have faith, one option or the other, not both or half and half. Faith: you either have it or don’t have it! Jesus looks at the disciples in the boat and tell them not that they have “little” faith, but that they have NO faith.

This makes a lot of sense to me. There are some moments when I know I am living as a person of faith. Then there are other moments when my problem is not that I only have a bit of faith, but that I am living without faith. It is that simple.

Before you go down the path of thinking you might have no faith, I will guarantee that the fact you have read this much of this faith reflection is proof that (at least in these minutes) you are living as a person of faith.

So too, if you take a moment or two in the midst of a busy day to speak with Jesus not only as your friend but as your God, then you have faith.  Big and little have more to do with competition and capitalism than with faith.

We don’t need to have big faith. Remember last Sunday when we heard that faith the size of a mustard seed is sufficient?

Conversely when we sin, we are living without faith. When I fail to love, it’s not that I have little faith, but that I am living (at least in that moment) without faith. When I refuse to let go of a security, or fail to forgive, I am without faith.

The disciples were so without faith on the stormy sea that they did not even ask Jesus to remedy their sinking feeling; they simply accused him of not caring and called out we are going down.

When I am living as a person of faith I live in constant and conscious awareness of my total dependance on God.

At the start of this new week let’s turn to Jesus with the confidence that his love for us gives to us. knowing that he alone can lead us through all storms and give us peace.

+++

FFF update: Despite the lack of regular updates on this website in recent weeks there has been a lot going on behind the scenes.

  • The Lectio Divina will begin in a few days for those who have subscribed to that page. You might have noticed that the emails were sent a few times in recent weeks but the Lectio wasn’t attached. That was my fault – In the new set-up (made possible by your donations) I had failed to check the right boxes for the upload.  I am on a steep learning curve here as we move FFF into the future. Watch this space.
  • We are also working on a prayer-request page. This is available in trial form at this link.
  • A new page with a list of FFF cafe / bar gatherings will also appear soon, enabling you to advertise the time and place you will be waiting to see whoever turns up to share life and faith. The trial of these gatherings a couple of months ago was well-received with groups of two and three and up to 17 turning up at the advertised time and place.  Watch this space! I’ll let you know when this page is operating.
  • You can adjust your email subscription preferences any time at this link.

Thank you for your ongoing encouragement and support of this growing Food For Faith mission.

In Christ

John

4 Comments

  1. Amen thanks to you Father John for your teachings and Inspiration Amen

    Reply
  2. I enjoy Food for faith. Many thanks

    Reply
  3. It’s encouraging to hear that the disciples struggled just as much as I do…. Jesus might be with me always, but how often I am not present to Him!
    Thank you Father John for all of the work you are doing for this wonderful Ministry.

    Reply
  4. Wonderfull to see the FFF email.
    When I am Not in a storm,I
    Sometimes forget of the gifts
    A storm reminds me of,- that
    JESUS,IS always with us,
    thank GOD,I have regular storms,
    That bring me to dialogue
    with JESUS, Amen.
    Thankyou Fr John, for FFF.
    GOD BLESS LOTS

    Reply

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