REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR 12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: KEEP HOLDING ON TO JESUS, EVEN WHEN THE STORM RAGES ON!
BY: Fr. Anthony O. Ezeaputa
Job 38: 1 -11, 2 Cor 5: 14 -17, Mark 4: 35–41
In our gospel today (Mark 4:35–41), Jesus and his disciples were heading for Gergesa, and a severe windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling (Mark 4:37). The disciples were afraid for their lives. Jesus, however, was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
ALSO RECOMMENDED: REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR 12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B
Pounded by wind and waves and fearful of drowning, the disciples woke Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38). Jesus then woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet now! Be still!” (Mark 4:39). The wind stopped, and there was a dead calm (Mark 4:39).
In awe, the disciples asked, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41). Mark provocatively left the question unanswered. It just hangs suspended over the story, leaving the reader to supply the answer.
For anyone versed in the Jewish scriptures, for those who know that God alone is sovereign lord over the sea (Psalm 93:3–4, Psalm 107:29), there is only one possible answer to this question. As Psalm 89:9 declares, “You rule over the raging sea; when its waves surge, you still them.” The implication is clear: the one who commands the wind and sea is none other than the Lord God Himself.
The scene of Jesus sleeping in the back of the boat while a fierce storm was raging, and his disciples were terrified of drowning raises a question that many of us ask: Where is God when we need Him most? When things get tough, when we are suffering and going through adversity, where is God when our loved ones suffer and die? We often feel as though God has abandoned us, as if He has vanished from our sight.
Nick Vujicic, a motivational speaker born without arms or legs, shared his struggle with feeling abandoned by God during his early years. Despite his physical limitations, Nick felt called to serve God, but he couldn’t understand why God would allow him to suffer so much.
In his darkest moments, Nick would cry out to God, “Where are you?” and “Why have you abandoned me?” He felt like God had left him to face his challenges alone.
But Nick refused to give up on his faith. He continued to pray and seek God’s presence. And slowly, he began to realize that God was always there, even when he didn’t feel it.
Nick learned that God’s presence wasn’t about feeling a certain way but about trusting in His love and sovereignty. He realized that God was using his struggles to shape him into a powerful witness for Christ.
Saint Thomas Aquinas puts it succinctly: “God’s presence is not a matter of feeling, but of faith. We must learn to trust in His love and sovereignty, even when we do not feel His presence. For it is in the darkness that we come to know Him best, and it is in our struggles that He shapes us into the image of His Son.”
In our gospel passage today (Mark 4:35–41), when the disciples were fearful and overwhelmed by the waves, where did they place their faith? Did they place their faith in the power of the wind and the waves, or in the one whom even the wind and the sea obey? Faith does not mean certainty; it means the courage to live with uncertainty.
Doctors have diagnosed Sarah with a serious illness. They have informed her that her treatment options are limited, and the outcome is uncertain.
Sarah is a person of faith, but in this moment, she’s filled with doubt and fear. She cries out to God, “Why is this happening? What’s going to happen to me?”
But as she prays, she realizes that God isn’t giving her the answers she wants. Instead, she feels a sense of peace and comfort that surpasses understanding.
Sarah comes to understand that her faith isn’t about having all the answers or being certain of the outcome. It’s about trusting in God’s love and goodness, even in the midst of uncertainty.
With this newfound understanding, Sarah finds the courage to face her illness with faith. She continues to pray, but instead of asking for certainty, she asks for strength to trust God in the unknown.
As she walks through the valley of uncertainty, Sarah discovers that her faith grows stronger. She learns to trust God’s sovereignty and goodness, even when she can’t see the entire path ahead. She learns that faith isn’t about having all the answers, but about trusting in God’s love and goodness, no matter what.
Let us learn from the disciples, Nick Vujicic, and Sarah’s examples. When the storms of life rage on and we feel abandoned by God, let us turn to Him with courage and faith.
As St. John Henry Newman reminds us, “God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. He sees not as man sees, nor judges as man judges. His ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts higher than our thoughts. And therefore, though we may not see Him, though we may not understand Him, we must trust Him, and trust Him utterly.”
May our faith grow stronger as we learn to trust God’s goodness and love, no matter what. And may we always remember that the Lord is always near, and everyone is dear to Him. Amen.
FOR A SIMILAR HOMILY, CLICK HERE >>>>>