Faith Daily | 28 January 2023

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p530

O God,

the strength of all those who put their trust in you:

mercifully accept our prayers,

and because through the weakness of our mortal nature

we can do nothing good without you,

grant us the help of your grace,

that in keeping your commandments

we may please you both in will and deed;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: Mark 4: 35-41

35On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Meredith Nicholls

I am always amazed at how absolutely exhausted Jesus must have been to remain fast asleep in a storm! His disciples were desperately focussing on trying to stay alive - I imagine also incredulous of Jesus being asleep and completely oblivious!

Did Jesus know that his Father wouldn’t let danger come to them all at this stage of his mission? Did he have supreme trust and confidence in the power and authority he had been granted from on high? For once, was he just oblivious to his surroundings being so humanly fatigued?

What we do know is that when his disciples alerted him to the situation, he calmed the storm preventing catastrophe and then questioned the strength of their faith. As he did for Peter on the point of drowning, Jesus acted first and then challenged his followers once they were safe.

God does not always rescue his people from life threatening danger, but he promises that his presence will always be with us until the end of the age. Never will he leave or forsake us. He assures us that he hears our prayers and it is only when we stay close to him and lean into him that we will find peace and calm for our souls.

FINAL PRAYER

meagre faith in the knowledge that you are always present to us, even when we cannot perceive this. Thank you for your compassion and unrelenting love.

Amen.