Calming the storm

Beyond calming…. Finding peace

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?” (Mk 4:35–41)

Jesus calming the storm is the title given to this incident in most of the versions of the Bible. Yes, Jesus calmed a storm. Mary M Mcglone helps us to go deeper into the story beyond that big miracle.

When Jesus is on our side, we can face all our struggles and difficulties. This is a theologically and spiritually sound principle. But this principle can be changed slightly and we start to believe that when Jesus is on our side, no storms will hit us. If we read the gospel above, the disciples probably had this mentality. And they were surprised at this aspect of storm in their life when Jesus was there; there were also surprised that Jesus was calm even in the midst of storm.

Jesus calmed this storm; but all storms in later life of disciples were never stopped so easily. They had to understand that with Jesus, they can find calm even in the midst of storms. Easy to say, but difficult when we have to live it out — such a principle is that — storms strengthen and deepen our life.

Jesus surely calmed the storm. He is the Lord and the master, and he can calm all storms. But he doesn't work always in that logic of calming the storms. This gospel is also an invitation to learn the logic of Jesus.