A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 4, n. 31)
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – June 25, 2006
BIBLE READINGS
N.B. This new series of BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY LITURGY presents a biblico-liturgical study of the First Reading of each Sunday Mass to serve as background for a better understanding of the Gospel proclaimed in the liturgy. For a biblico-liturgical study of the Gospel for each Sunday, please go to the PDDM Web Archives: WWW.PDDM.US.
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS
One warm, beautiful morning in October last year, my Sisters accompanied me to the pier in Manila where I was boarding a ship to Cebu Island to spend a few days of vacation with my brother and his family. I bid the kind Sisters goodbye and headed off to the cabin. There was a young lady sharing the cabin with me, and since she was extremely busy making text messages, I excused myself and allowed her to do her personal business in peace. I went to the upper deck and had a great time watching the intense activity at the pier as the crew prepared for sailing. As the ship began to move, there was the soothing sound of parting waters and the cooling sensation of the sea breeze. And then I heard something fascinating – the amplified voice of a crew in devout prayer to the Lord God who masters the storms and the raging seas, asking for blessing and protection for all of us sea travelers. The ship company had experienced several tragedies involving the loss of human lives and properties on account of storms and other misfortunes. The matriarch of the family who owns the ship company then decided to put everything in the hands of God. One of the most eloquent expressions of her faith is the public prayer that she exhorts the crew to offer at the beginning of each ship’s journey and at various moments of the day. There was even the celebration of the rosary in the evening. I felt so peaceful and secure in that sea voyage knowing that everything had been entrusted to God who has dominion over all – even violent storms and turbulent seas.
This Sunday’s First Reading is taken from the Book of Job, called by the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson, “the greatest poem of ancient and modern times” (Job 38:1, 8-11). The Lord God is addressing Job “out of the storm”, which evokes the raging emotions and turbulent storms that the distressed Job is experiencing from within. God obliges to confront the frantic Job, who is buffeted by the storms of life, but in his own infinite terms and ineffable ways as Creator God and Master of all. God does not answer Job’s questions, but simply puts them in proper perspective. The Lord does not make any positive proposition, rebuttal or self-defense, only a series of hypothetical questions that evince Job’s ignorance and affirm, at the same time, the omnipotent power of God as Creator and Master of the universe.
Harold Buetow remarks: “God’s questions cover the most familiar phenomenon of nature. If Job cannot answer, how can he and God debate, and how can God explain to Job the deeper mysteries of His providence over people? Everywhere there are marvels, and everywhere also mystery. Today’s section deals only with that tumultuous and threatening element, the sea. Through it, God reminds Job that he, Job, is just a creature, and only God is the Creator. God alone formed the earth and the seas, and He alone can calm the winds and the waves of the storms. He pictures the sea more as a troublesome infant, in need of a loving parent to keep it calm, to clothe it in clouds and swaddling bands and feed it, and thus stop its movement and its cries. He had set limits to his child, telling it where it can and cannot go.”
Indeed, God who has created the sea and assigned it its boundaries, limiting the flow of its waves, is the almighty One who directs the course of each individual’s life. Everything that happens in the universe is under the power of God’s dominion and control. That God obliges to talk to Job “out of the storm” indicates that he is not a distant God. He is not detached and unconcerned with our destiny. He is there to share the storms of our life. And yet, though he is there present for us - to relate with us “out of the storm” - he is absolutely beyond the clutch of elemental powers and the manipulation of his creatures. God evinces sovereign mastery over the elements, particularly over the sea, which appears to be the most difficult to control. He also manifests his control, not only of nature, but above all, of the raging inner storms that threaten to submerge our human destiny as the chosen and favored ones of God.
Against the backdrop of the Lord God speaking to Job “out of the storm” and the assertion of his dominion and control over all, the Gospel picture of Jesus in the stern, asleep on a cushion, while violent waves were breaking over the boat that was already filling up with water, acquires deeper personal challenge and meaning. At times we become frantic when we are buffeted with the storms of life and Jesus seems to sleep in the stern. At times we panic and despair for Jesus seems to pay no heed. But the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, is fully concerned and involved in our fear and distress. As the omnipotent One, he is truly in control over the tumults and “storms” of our daily life.
Harold Buetow exhorts us: “Life presents all kinds of storms: disease, natural disasters, epidemics, and famines; and human anger, hatred, prejudice, injustice, betrayal, and selfishness. For Christians, acceptance of Jesus is not a guarantee that we will sail on trouble-free waters. To the contrary, Jesus invites us to travel on uncharted waters and to make for unfamiliar shores – and all this as darkness falls. The risk of faith demands a radical trust that, whatever our particular storm, Jesus is present; being conscious of his presence will give us a calm peace in all the storms of our life.”
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Mk 4:35-41
By Andy Ruperto
Fresno, CA – U.S.A.
Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?
Lord, who are You? Is this not the question we must constantly ponder? In today’s Gospel we again see Jesus’ disciples continuing on their journey of faith and asking, “Lord, who are You? You have power over the wind and the sea!”
In this event, we must place ourselves on a boat on the Sea of Galilee. The wind and waves are beginning to violently shake the boat. The disciples are stumbling around and yelling, trying to get things under control. I do not know what it must have been like being in a potentially life-threatening storm, but I do remember being in a motorboat with family on a lake. When the front of the boat took on some water, because it was too heavy, there were screams and a bit of hysteria. How much more so if we were in a violent storm?
In the meantime, our Lord is asleep in the stern. So, then the disciples ask – “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” This is a question I sometimes ask in different life situations. God, do You not know what I’m going through?” “Why is this happening to me?” Sometimes I ‘feel’ like my life is ending or that cannot go on. There are too many storms – confusion, stress, studies, relationships, finances … So I ask, “Lord, do You not care that I am perishing?”
Jesus then comes in power, and stills the storms with His word and says, “Peace! Be still.” This is the peace that comes from Jesus and it is a peace not as the world gives it. Christ is the only way to true peace. Here, our Lord Jesus shows His power over the wind and sea and amazes the disciples. Jesus is GOD. He is powerful. He is mighty. He can do anything. He can calm these modern day storms. He is also humble and sometimes we cannot see through the veil of humanity.
A friend once told me that the hard part for God is not the miracles, but changing human hearts. It seems that in this event, our Lord Jesus was using the storm to awaken the disciple’s hearts to faith. He asks them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”
The “good news” of the reading today is one that was constantly repeated by our late Holy Father, Jon Paul II. It was the message, “Do not be afraid!” Our Lord tells us not to let our hearts be troubled. He is with us, and so what can we fear? He will take care of us. It is our faith that enables us not to fear. Let us always call on the name of Jesus in the stormy chapters of our lives. In these times let us quickly say, “Jesus, I trust in You. Jesus, I trust in You …”
So, Lord, who are You? You are my refuge, savior and teacher in the storms. You are GOD! I have often tried to control the storms myself. Let me learn to go through them with You, having recourse to You when I find myself in trouble. Peace! Be still my soul! Know that Jesus is GOD and that He does care and that He loves me. Mother Mary, you know our Lord so intimately. Please purify our faith in Him. Form us into His likeness and into fearless saints. Amen.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART
A. What are our experiences of despair and pain? How does it feel to be in the same situation as the raging Job, buffeted by life problems and troubled by storms from within? How do we respond to God’s assertion of his power and glory?
B. Do we feel abandoned and neglected by Jesus when the life-storms are violent and he seems to be “sleeping”? Why do we panic?
C. Do we believe in faith that God is in control? Do we place our trust in Jesus whom even wind and sea obey? Do we derive strength from the fact that the Lord Jesus masters the storms and the raging seas?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD
Loving God,
you formed the earth and the sea and you have dominion over the raging waters.
You spoke to Job “out of the storm” to assure him of your presence
and to assert your dominion over all.
Your Son Jesus Christ slept in the stern of the boat tossed by the raging sea.
His serenity in the midst of troubled waters
evokes Jonah’s “sleep of death” in the belly of a whale
and prefigures his own “sleep of death” in the womb of the earth,
shrouded with life-giving waters.
Help us to trust that, since you are in absolute control,
there is calm and order out of primeval chaos.
Help us to have faith in Jesus who is GOD like you.
When life-threatening storms buffet us,
help us to call on Jesus our Savior.
He is the powerful Lord who masters the winds and the raging seas.
May our faith be steadfast and strong.
May we hold on to you and to Jesus
as we journey through the turbulence of life.
May we praise you and Jesus in the midst of our life storms.
You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“The Lord addressed Job out of the storm and said: Who shut within doors the sea, when it burst forth from the womb?” (Job 38:1, 8)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION
A. ACTION PLAN: Pray to God that we may be able to feel his presence and serenity even in the midst of life’s storms. Offer comfort and assistance to those whose faith is wavering and whose lives are deeply upset by trials and difficulties. Share with those who are overwhelmed in the sea of sorrows the comforting presence of Jesus who masters the winds and the raging seas.
B. ACTION PLAN: To help us experience more deeply God calling to us “out of the storm” and the power of Jesus who “masters the winds and the raging seas”, make an effort to spend an hour in Eucharistic Adoration. Visit the PDDM WEB site (www.pddm.us) for the EUCHARISTIC ADORATION THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR (Vol. 2, n. 31): A Weekly Pastoral Tool.
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US