Gentle, Still Passages of Life

11 He said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; ¹²and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. ¹³When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ (1 Kings 19: 11-13)

Elijah the prophet's vision is awe inspiring to say the least: a howling wind, a tremendous earthquake and a raging fire. These phenomena bring to mind previous manifestations of God’s presence on Mount Horeb. When God visited His people, loud thunder and fierce flashes of lightning filled the sky and fire prepared His path. A trembling shook the ground and filled the people  with fear and terror.

God is not a play thing or a toy. He is the creator and master of the universe.

Recall the words penned by the psalmist: “The heavens declare the grandeur of God and the firmament declares the work of His hands” (Ps. 19:1).

All these manifestations demand that we acknowledge God’s power and majesty. Because of His greatness we have reason to hope, even in the face of severe trials. At the presence of the Lord, all of creation trembles.

But the people He has called into His presence have nothing to fear because He is their Rock, their redeemer. No matter what threats we must face, the Lord of Hosts is with us.

Over the tumult, one can imagine hearing the voice of the redeemer: “Calm down and don’t be afraid. It’s me” (Mat. 14:27).

When we encounter storms while responding to the call of the Lord, He manifests Himself and clothes us in His abiding grace. Our confidence rests in the belief that Christ is near to guard and protect us.

We are allowed to face our own weaknesses so that we would learn to depend on Christ’s redeeming power. It is when we call out to Him for help that He stretches out His powerful right arm to save us. Recall the words taken from the Gospel of Mark: “Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Hush! Be still!’ Suddenly the wind lulled and there was a great calm” (Mk.4:39).

Even on stormy days, when we seem to be tossed about in every direction, the Lord is present to be our peace and rock of refuge.

In the lull, there is a hush and a gentle breeze carries the words: “Rise up, my love, my beautiful one! Come away with me. The winter is past, the storms are over and gone” (Song 2:10-11).

The voice of God’s Love Incarnate has the power to take possession of our hearts. The object of our life’s journey calls us to himself. We are invited to come away from the tumult of the world and enter into fellowship with Christ and to live the freedom of the Children of God. When the Beloved Son comes to us in those gentle and still passages of life, may we go out and stand before Him.

--Fr. Jerome Machar, OSCO

Asking God for a Sign

My brothers, consider it a great joy when trials of many kinds come upon you, ³ for you well know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance, and ⁴ perseverance must complete its work so that you are become fully developed, complete, not deficient in any way. ⁵ Any of you who lacks wisdom must ask God, who gives to all generously and without scolding; it will be given.

⁶ But the prayer must be made with faith, and no trace of doubt, because a person who has doubts is like the waves thrown up in the sea by the buffeting of the wind. ⁷ That sort of person, in two minds,

⁸ inconsistent in every activity, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord. (James 1: 1-8)

¹¹ The Pharisees came up and started a discussion with him; they demanded of him a sign from heaven, to put him to the test. ¹² And with a profound sigh he said, 'Why does this generation demand a sign? In truth I tell you, no sign shall be given to this generation.' (Mark 8: 11-12)

No sign will be given to this generation. What was the big deal about the Pharisees asking for a sign? The big deal was that they had already received so many signs and one more was not going to matter. This Gospel is in Chapter 8 of Mark’s Gospel. Before we read this Gospel, Jesus had cast out unclean spirits, made a deaf man hear and speak, healed many people with various diseases including leprosy and paralysis, restored a man’s withered and, and multiplied the loaves and the fishes. What more could the Pharisees be looking for? They had received many signs from the Lord. They did not want to see them. No matter what God did, it was not going to matter.

The Pharisees were trying to find a way around the truth. They got mad because Jesus healed a withered hand on the Sabbath, but it was okay to plot to kill him on the Sabbath. Jesus is frustrated with the Pharisees. They were not looking to be open to Jesus. They were testing Jesus. Push him, push him, see how far he will go

Sometimes we test God. We say to the Lord, “Okay, Lord, just one more sign. Just one more sign and I will do what you want. Just let me know for sure that it’s You.”

Are you waiting to know for sure, or are you hoping God won’t answer the way he was answering before? We ask God for a particular direction in life, and we keep on seeing coincidences. Oh, that was a coincidence. Oh there’s another coincidence. And that’s another coincidence. Are these all coincidences? Might God be giving you the signs that you are asking for, and you keep asking for more? Are you truly seeking an answer or do you want God to tell you what you want to hear?

Is it fear, or insecurity, that makes you not accept the signs that God is giving you? Is your brokenness not allowing you to be receptive to what God is saying? Perhaps the battle scares you. St. James acknowledges that it is difficult to follow the Lord. He talks about trials. Trials? You mean there are going to be trials? Were you thinking that following Jesus was not going to be difficult?

He talks about testing of the faith that brings perseverance. Testing? Why testing? Are you afraid to be tested?

You mean I have to work for my salvation? That following Jesus is not an escalator ride? You mean I’m going to have to do battle with myself? That scares me! The struggle and what it requires of me scares me. Why? Because my heart is not yet formed to love. I am not ready to burst forth with the gift of myself.

We have to die to things in our own lives. We need to persevere on those tests of faith that come to us. The Lord will provide the perseverance. St. James says that we must be “fully developed, complete, not deficient in any way.” How do we achieve this? Through perseverance.

 To compete in the Olympics, the contestants must endure many trials and have great perseverance. It is in the perseverance that the gold medals are won. This is the same with virtue. Virtue is not built at the end of the battle, but it is built in the fight, in encountering trials and persevering through trust.

When it is toughest to love, that is when love is built. Love is tested through trials and perseverance. When I marry couples, I tell them that I hope that, when they celebrate their 50^th wedding anniversary, they don’t love each other as much as they do on their marriage day. I tell them that I want them to love each other much more because then they will have gone through the trials and struggles their marriage will bring, and they will bear the battle scars of life and the wrinkles of a love that persevered and became perfected and drew strength and power from the times they were together. This is true love. Love is fostered in the fight, not fighting with one another but fighting the battle of life.

If we are scared of the battle, of perseverance, afraid of our weaknesses, we have to come to God and trust. We trust that God will not let us fall. He will be there. We need to have faith in God who loves us. Remember that His Holy Will is to do good for us. What reply can we give to Divine Love except to love back? If I keep asking questions, asking God for signs, then I don’t have to reply to Divine Love, do I? I am waiting for answers.

How do I make an answer to Divine Love? How do I make myself Love’s Reply? Can it be anything less than the fullness of love returned? When I hear the voice of God, I need to respond even though I am facing a future that will have trials and battles, a future that will require perseverance and testing. God will give me the grace to reply to His Love, to listen to His Holy Will, to remove anything that keeps me from Love’s Reply. What about this? What about that? Will I have the strength? Will I have the courage? What if I fail? What if I mess up? Questions. Doubts.

Just reply to God in love. God has taken care of all those things. Trust him with your future because God loves you.

--Transcribed as best as possible from a homily by Father David Mary Engo, FBM

Jesus Is in the Boat with Us

The Gospel of St. Mark talks about two storms at sea which affected Jesus and his apostles. One of the storms is in Chapter Four and the other is in Chapter Six of St. Mark’s Gospel. In Chapter Four, Jesus climbs into a boat at the water’s edge and teaches the people from there. When evening comes, and everyone goes home, Jesus tells the apostles to cross over to the other side. Jesus is in the boat, fast asleep when a storm comes up and the apostles are afraid that they are perishing. Jesus calms the storm after they fearfully awaken him, and the apostles  are amazed at this miracle. They wonder who is this who calms the storm and commands the wind and makes the sea die down?

When they reach the other side of the lake, they are in the country of the Gerasenes. Immediately upon disembarking, a man possessed with an unclean spirit rushes out of the tombs at them. Jesus cures this man and sends the Legion of devils within him into the swine. The herd of 2000 swine rush down the hill toward the sea and drown. The swineherds are so frightened that they run into the town to tell the people what happened, and the people come out and tell Jesus to leave. Jesus, however, tells the healed man to go to his relatives and friends and tell them how God had mercy on him.

In Chapter Six of St. Mark’s Gospel, Jesus teaches a crowd of 5000 men plus women and children and works a miracle for them by multiplying the loaves and the fishes. Then he sends them home while also sending his disciples on a boat to cross the sea to go to Bethsaida. After Jesus dismisses the crowd, he crosses the water and would have walked right past his disciples who were rowing mightily against the strong wind. When they saw Jesus walking on the water, the disciples cried out, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Take courage; it is my, do not be afraid.” Then he just got into the boat with them, the storm died down, and they came to the land of Genesereth , and people brought the sick to Jesus to heal. These are the same people who earlier told Jesus to go away from their lands because he had sent the demon from the possessed man into the swine. The people are now bringing their sick to Jesus to heal, because the possessed man who had been healed evangelized his fellow townspeople and told them all that Jesus had done for him. So now they were ready for Jesus’ arrival and brought the sick to him to be healed.

These two Gospels are telling us that Jesus is in the boat with us. Amid the storms of life, when we are confused and tossed about, when we do not know where to turn and when think we are perishing, Jesus is in the boat. He may seem to be asleep, but he is there. He may seem to be walking past us, but he comes and joins us. Jesus is in the boat. He tells us, “Have no fear. It is I.”

Who is this Jesus? Who is this one who calms the wind and the storm? This is God made man. This is God who loves us. This is the God of mercy. This is the God who is Love. We are not to fear him. We are to trust him. If we fear God, then we are afraid of his punishment. When we love him, we trust him. We know that he is in the boat with us. We know that he is Love in bodily form. We know that he is Love who came to drive out demons, to heal us, to find us, to pity us, to love us. He who is Love entered the boat of the world. Because he is in the boat, the storms of this world are different because will face them differently. Jesus can drive out are demons. He can make us whole. He understands us. We need to tell others about what he has done for us.

“Have no fear. It is I.” Love is in the boat with me.

A transcription of thoughts from a homily by Father David Engo, FBM