Reflection On Mark 4: 35-41

The violent storm can allude to any crisis that can happen to any Christian: loss of a loved one, terminal illness, financial ruin, etc. Indirectly, it poses to any Christian the question of Jesus: why are you afraid?
Have you no faith? Naturally, these questions do not mean that nothing bad can happen to the believers of Jesus for that is daily contradicted by experience. But these questions bring home the realization that no storm however furious it may appear to be, is fatal. All of us know that the see and storms will obey God because they are only part of the creation. We also know that there is no problem too big for God to solve, yet our worries have no ends and our troubles too trouble us because most of us prefer to fight them out on our own. The disciples are specimen of the common man. Even when Jesus was with them, they are frightened of a storm! Abram’s faith is the perfect solution. If only man left all his worries and pains to God!
Faith is the sounding theme of today’s reading. Faith is very basic to our lives: not only religious faith but faith in general. There is a fine scriptural definition on faith in the section of Hebrews “Faith is confident assurance concerning what we hope for and conviction on about things we do not see”. I think that is remarkable description of faith. It always involves something we don’t see, but we have a conviction it does exist. There are shining is of on faith is Old Testament: we all know it would be Abraham who would be marched across the sacred page. He is the one who obeyed and followed that challenging call from God at a time when people were not accustomed to God speaking to them. He was the most hopeful man and his hopes were vindicated. Sarah, his wife, follows right behind. She is remembered for her trust in God’s promise that she would have a child in her old age. Each of us is somewhere in that long lines of people who still have confident, assurance of what we hope for and solid convictions about the things we do not see.
Duglas Hyde, an atheist and editor of a famous communist newspaper in England, once came across a poor lady going into a shrine of Our Lady in tears and coming out of it a few minutes later, smiling. What a miracle! He inquired. She narrated: “I have only my mother. She is sick. I do house chores and earn a living. Today she is sicklier; so I can’t go for today’s work. There is no money for medicine and for today’s meal. But Mary has offered to help. “If there is someone like this to help at every moment of need, then there is meaning in living as believer. Duglas became a Catholic along with his wife and wrote the book ‘I believe.’ whatever happens in our life, in the ultimate analysis is used by God for our own good. As long as we are in Jesus’ boat through a strong faith and a constant trust we have nothing to fear.
Question Yourself:
How do you keep up your faith in Jesus?
Are you in the boat of Jesus?


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