12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)

1st Reading          Job 38: 1, 8-11

Psalm                     107: 23-24. 25- 26. 28-29. 30-31 (R. 1)

R//: "O give thanks to the Lord for He is Good; for his mercy endures forever"

2nd Reading        2 Corinthians 5: 14-17

Gospel                   Mark 4: 35-41

RELYING ON GOD'S POWER TO CALM THE STORMY SEA

Dear friends, today is the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B). We come to realise that we have made a journey quite far into the Ordinary Season, for which we need to understand that every journey made had an obstacle. However, the responses to the obstacles are what we need to look at because obstacles are always present to challenge our faith journeys. Let us consider a few details from both the first reading and the Gospel about the question of obstacles. Before that, let us remember how last Sunday's readings assure us to rely on the power of God in our efforts to grow as seeds in the Kingdom of God. In this endeavour lies the challenge. There is always a challenge in the endeavour to go about planting the seed of the Kingdom in the hearts of men by preaching the Word of God. 

The first reading is from Job 38:1, 8-11. Job 38 deals with God's responds to the complaints of Job and makes reference to the past, present, and future. Job 38: 1-15 talks about the earth, the sea, and light in that order. Remember that in Genesis 1: 3-10, the order of creation is light, sea, and earth. What it means is that, although the language in Job is very similar to creation in Genesis, Job 38: 1-15 reverses the order of creation. Within this order and this similarity, we find our first reading focusing on the element of "SEA" (Heb: "YÂM"). Our first reading begins by telling us how God set the limits of the sea's operation when it was being created (v. 8; Gen. 1: 9-10). This is about how the sea was gathered so that the earth could show up. It is through the gathering of the sea at a specified place that we can glimpse the limitation of the power of the sea. Why would it be limited? The problem is that the "birth" of the sea is described as "tumultuous." The Hebrew word used there to describe this is "bə-ḡî-ḥōw" (בְּ֝גִיח֗וֹ). Interestingly, this is the same word used to describe the process of the birth or emergence of a child from the womb. The "bursting forth" or "birth" of the sea is seen as tumultuous because every birth entails a forceful emergence, a breaking out (2 Sam. 18: 30) or a forceful or breaking through (Hosea 13: 14). If this is not controlled, there will be chaos. In this line, the Ancient Near East, including Israel, views the image of a sea as chaotic and as representing a struggle between the forces of good and evil. 

What even amazes is that the treatment of this chaotic element of "SEA" is described as a newborn baby being taken care of. Not only is this chaotic element described as coming from the womb (Heb: "Rechem", the same Hebrew word for a woman's womb), but it is covered with a garment and swaddling bands. The image is that of a woman having post-partum care for a newborn baby. In fact, a newborn baby needs to be guided, and its every course of action has to be limited so that it does not result in chaos. 

I want to believe that what God is communicating to Job is that the sea is big and mighty, and its birth or creation took an occasion of struggle, making the sea itself an element of chaos. Despite these fearful features of even the sea that He (God) created, he is still able to command mastery over it because He is its mother and that the sea obeys the command of its creator just as a child is being cared for and obeys the voice of a mother. The pride of a SEA is its destructive wave, yet God, the Creator, has power over what seems to be fearful. 

It is this chaotic element of SEA that comes up in the Gospel, presenting itself as a challenge to the spread of the Kingdom of God and its implant in the hearts of men. The Gospel is Mark 4: 35-41, and it is a continuation from where we ended last Sunday's Gospel passage (lectio continua). It is also the last narrative at the end of Mark 4. 

Jesus taught his disciples and his listeners about the Kingdom of God, and in the evening, they want to cross over to the other side. Their mission on the other side is not clear to us. However, we can lay claim to the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the lives and hearts of men through healing and preaching when we look at the first thing that happened when they arrived there. Jesus healed a Demoniac. This is a sign of the presence of the Kingdom of God (Luke 4: 18-19). In going to do this, they had to cross the SEA OF GALILEE. This is the biggest obstacle between them and their endeavour to "go to the other side." The SEA (Θάλασσα - Thalassa).

Two things are even noticed. The author says, "On that day, as evening drew on" (Mk. 4: 35). The double indication of time is worth reflective in regard to challenges in mission and faith. This double time does not specifically indicate the time of the day. At best, we can safely say that the author wants to communicate that they were torn between two cosmic elements, thus "day and evening." That is itself a challenge as to whether to stay and face the ensuing evening or to run away from it. Another perspective could be that they had a plan to go over to the other side, but the nature of the Sea of Galilee could hinder them. The Sea of Galilee becomes violent, usually in the evening. Windstorms are common occurrences on the Sea of Galilee. They needed to leave quickly so that they were not faced with this challenge. Regardless of whatever point we may hold, one thing remains sure, and that it there is always a challenge to whatever we do or intend to execute. 

These challenges are sure to occur. They can range from making a decision between staying with the coming evening and struggling with it or crossing a sea, which is also a challenge. Whatever the case, the Kingdom of God has to be made present in the lives of people through its preaching. 

The reaction is simple. In the face of whatever challenge we find on our faith and missionary journeys, we can only resort to Divine for help and assistance. It is God who created the Sea and set its limits, telling it what to do and what not to do. It is the same God who knows the challenges in store for whatever journey we make. Because of this, it is the same God who has what it takes to control any kind of storm in our lives. The Lord knows that we are perishing because he is in the same boat with us; he is journeying with us too. Jesus controlled the Sea, showing that his ability to control the sea relates him to God, who has power over all creation. 

In the first reading, Job complained in regard to his current situation of pain and suffering, and God responded, telling him that he had power over all creation. The life of Job as a Just man was a manifestation of the glory of God in the lives of those who stay true to the Law of God. The suffering of a just man questions this glory. Job, I believe, complained so that God's glory will be seen again in him. Job's life became a mission. In the Gospel, the disicples complained, were frightened, and showed their lack of faith. Jesus responded and calmed the troubling Sea. The disicples and Jesus were on a mission. 

Today, we ought not grapple and complain. We have a sure way to surmount the challenges, looking at these examples. We need to always look to the power of God because he alone has what it takes to control what is troubling; what is that kind of a Sea. The problem is never the Sea. The problem will be our reaction to its troubling waves. Will you resort to the divine or still hold on to your own might? Remember that in the end, it is the creator of a product who knows the in and out of a product, and he will always win. Similarly, it is God, the Creator, who knows what to do with everything he creates to calm them when the odds show up, and this God will always win

Pax et Bonum 🙏❤️🕊