Peace in the Storm

This sermon can be listened to here

Gate Pa – 20th June 2021 – 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings:
Psalm                          Psalm 133                  
First Reading:               1 Samuel 17:57-18:5, 10-16   
Second Reading:         2 Corinthians 6:1-13              
Gospel:                          Mark 4:35-41                         
What I want to say:
explore the storms in our world and lives today, and what this story in Mark offers us
What I want to happen:
What demonic and destructive powers is Jesus overcoming, speaking words of peace to?

The Sermon

       1.     Introduction:
Jesus was done
He has finished his offering block teaching
-      teach a new way of seeing Kingdom of God at work:
-      using stories about seeds
Heard last two - last week
-         seed grows even when we pay them no attention and we do not know how they grow
-         Mustard seed growing both where intended, and where not intended
teaching and healing non stop
-         even family worried and tried take him away
Jesus needs some time out
-         says go to other side
Goes to back and goes to sleep
He trusts them
Experienced fisherman – know what doing
-      used to handling fishing boats in all conditions
-      able look changing weather – go to safety when need to.
But caught out
This storm comes very fast –
            and is savage
                        so savage
blasting down valley - out hills of Lebanon
            intensifying as it comes
Greek used describe storm indicates that it is much more than just bad weather
            word used – similar used describe demonic
Story is about much more than bad weather
Jesus lives in world everything is controlled by spirits and these are really bad spirits at work here
use language links story with others where Jesus is confronted with spirits that seek to deprive life.
ð Spirits of death
-      Jesus and evil spirit in Capernaum – chapter 1 (after calling first disciple
-      Jesus healing demon possessed man (straight after this story)
-      And several others
So have demonic storm hammering this boat and other boats that are there
-      Disciples begin to loose control
-      Panic
-      They freeze
-      And in their panic
-      Wake Jesus
-      Demanding  - “teacher don’t you care if we drown?”
 
       2.     Our storms
I wonder when we have felt like that
No shortage of storms in our world
Spirits that seek to bring death are at work
-      Whether we would use that language or not
·        Covid-19
·        Climate change for some
·        Housing shortage and inequality
·        You can name your own
 
       3.     Marks and being in a Storm
Community Mark writing for lived through existential storm
Jewish rebellion and eventual destruction of temple
Slaughter enslavement hundreds thousands Jews
that led to crisis both within Judaism
-      Little Jewish sect – Christianity
Now finding itself increasingly cast out.
Persecuted as agnostic
This story
This gospel is written to people being swamped
Calling out “Jesus don’t you care if we drown?”
 
       4.     Peace, Be Still
To all these storms Jesus simply says “Silence! Be still!”
Other translations – “Peace, Be still!”
And the wind and waves are stilled!
Turns to us all and says
Why are you frightened? Don’t you have faith yet?”
 
       5.     Question Time
All kinds of questions arise out of this.
-      How can Jesus be asleep in this raging storm?
-      Does he really not care?
-      Why doesn’t Jesus stop all the storms today?
-      When Jesus says, “Why are you frightened? Don’t you have faith yet?”
o   What does he mean by that?
 
       6.     Mark again
One themes Mark’s gospel is that Jesus overcomes the deep and destructive powers of death in the world
Regin of God was always about defeating powers of death
-  freeing people to thrive in God
=> Sets people free to live lives in light and love of God
How do we do that in midst of our storms?
 
      7.     Laudate Si
Reading “Surrounded By Love – 7 Teachings from St. Francis”
-       by Murray Bodo OFM
In it quotes Pope Francis’s encyclical - Laudate Si
“St Francis shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society and inner peace.
Bodo goes on to describe inner peace as awareness that God is,
-      and that God dwells in all creation
Other 3 flow from this awareness, this inner peace.
Describes how this awareness is knowing that
-      All that is outside the interrelated life of the trinity
-      Has it ‘s beginning in God
-      That interrelating love within God creates all this is
-      Including this world
-      And us.
The peace Jesus speaks of is not a trust that God will fix everything
-      That nothing bad will happen
-      Really bad stuff happens to good faithful people
It was a trust that God is
-      God dwells in all creation
-      Holds all creation in love
-      Holds him in love
-      Holds us in love.
At some level
When I read this story
Hear those words of Jesus – “Peace, be still”
Those words are as much to all of us as they are to the storm
In the storm disciples were invited to be at peace, to be still.
In the storms circling around then Markan community was invited to be at peace, to be still.
In our storms we are invited to be at peace, to be still.
 
       8.     Conclusion
What words do you hear in your storm as you hear this story?
Does this story help you live
If so how?

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