Homily for 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings: Job 38:1, 8-11; 2 Corinthians 5: 14-17; Mark 4: 35-41

“QUIET NOW! BE CALM!”. By deacon Isaac Jackson

Today is the 12^th Sunday in the Ordinary Season of the Church (Year B). On this day, God shows us his greatness over everything that he created out of his free will. Thus, in our first reading that is taken in the book of Job. God tells Job that he has full control over the sea. This is so because he is the one who created it. This is also seen in the gospel as Jesus controls or calms the great storm on the sea saying “quiet now! Be calm!”. Consequently, there was indeed calm. At this time of a great confusion on the sea, the disciples of Jesus were crying for help from Jesus who was in deep slumber.

We know that within the community of disciples, there were also people like Symon Peter who was primarily one of the fishermen before being a follower of Christ. Such people had vast knowledge about what happens on the sea, to the extent that this situation would not have been an issue for them. Hence, it was an experience that they could attempt to manage it. However, filled with fear the disciples come to Jesus asking for help? How come that fishermen ask a son of carpenter (Jesus) to solve a sea problem? Is that practically possible?

Most of the times, in our day-to-day life, we usually have fears and anxieties because of various problems we encounter depending on what we are. Worse still, we think that God has forgotten us because of the longevity and seriousness of our problems. We think that God is asleep or dead in our stormy situations, as Jesus was, in the disturbed boat together with the crying and hopeless disciples. We then try to employ other traditional and unchristian means of solving our problems. Unfortunately, they finally appear to be both superstitious and illusionary. Indeed, they simply increase our sorrow rather than making us get better. 

 Brethren, the world in which we are living is like the boat on the sea. Now, there are various situations that usually take place. Sometimes, the sea can be calm, while other times, it can be stormy causing the sea water not to be stable, in short, full of confusion. Finally, we become really terrified without realizing that we are with Jesus Christ in such a disturbed boat, which is the world.

Just to mention a few examples, the world today is stormy with problems of hunger; poverty; stress; injustices; misuse of public funds and resources both in the Church and in the state; discrimination in working places due to differences in tribe, religion, and political party; sudden deaths of our beloved ones; and modern pandemics like Covid-19 that has affected the facet of life of a human person. We have been surely crippled, and so, we do not know actually what to do. In addition, some of us have storms of marital unfaithfulness. We made matrimonial promises together in order to remain faithful to each other, but later on only to realize that our partner is always involved in extra-marital relationships. It is from this fact that most of the christian families are a mere name, adatha kalekale kwatsala nkungopirirana, nanga nkutani?

My brethren in the Lord, despite all these problems we might be facing in life, we should always realize that God is still with us and he is fully ready to redeem us from such problems. Nothing can fail him. Just like what the hen does to her chicks, God does love and protect us in his proper time that we do not even understand, unless we have strong faith in him alone. The love of God does not end because we feel being overwhelmed with various problems in this life. In fact, through these moments, God wants us to know that we are living in a temporal world, and so, we are being prepared for a perfect life which is the heavenly life. In addition, he also wants to teach us that we should realize our limitedness, and so with faith, we should always rely on his unlimited audacity.

However, this dependence on God alone calls for humility. As St. Paul the apostle in our second reading says to the Corinthians that since all were saved by the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ, nothing surely can make us still suffer. This is the greatest love that God through Jesus Christ has shown us. Therefore, the only disposition that we should have is to accept to suffer as a way of sharing the sufferings of Jesus, while at the same time with humility inviting his power and love to be with us in our daily life.

Then, finally, the questions to reflect upon should be: are we humble in order to recognize the greatness and love of God in our life? Do we have strong faith in God despite the various challenges that we encounter in our life? The only prayer that we should make to God this Sunday is “Lord increase our faith”. A BLESSED SUNDAY TO YOU ALL!!!