12th Sunday Of Ordinary Time
Readings: Job 38.1-4,8-11
2Corinthians 5.14-17
Mark 4.35-41
As we begin the Sunday readings of Ordinary time, after the solemnities of the Most Holy Trinity and Corpus Christi, we begin to reflect on who God is for each of us. What do we think of God? How have we experienced God in our lives? Like these early followers of Jesus, if we meet someone who can stop a storm, who can still the wind and the waves, we would surely be impressed and wonder about that person. Today we can imagine Jesus sleeping in this boat. It could not have been a very large boat and the storm would have been tossing it all over the place. And Jesus sleeps!
How many times have we experienced storms in our lives and thought that the lord was asleep, that God was not concerned, that God was simply ignoring us? The Gospel today lets us know that God is always aware of what is happening in our lives, even when he seems asleep, unconcerned and uncaring. The Gospel invites us to a deep level of trust in our God. God loves us and cares for us always and will not let us perish. We don't always understand the ways of God- and that should never surprise us. God sees all and knows all and our vision and knowledge is so restricted.
The first reading today, from the Book of Job, is part of our learning about the divine also. Job finally realizes that God is God- and Job understands so little of all reality. We also must learn that lesson. We can easily think that we know what is best in any situation. So we don't pray and we don't even ask God to give us wisdom and understanding. We also need to repent, as Job does at the end of the Book of Job. We stand in the presence of the Almighty and think that we have more wisdom and knowledge than does the Almighty. Again, we can reflect on our personal image of God and of the power of God.
The Second Letter to the Corinthians tells us clearly : The love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction will the love of Christ impel us. Sometimes we play games with God. Sometimes we expect to force faith upon us. God never forces us, instead, we can humbly ask for faith and for the knowledge that comes from faith.
Today
let us best till in the presence of the Almighty. May our hearts be aware of
the presence of this being who is
Almighty. Let us ask humbly for faith.
Let us ask 'god for the gift to see and acknowledged the cine presence
which always surrounds us. May we stand in awe and give praise to God.
Father’s Day Prayer:
God our Father, We
give you thanks and praise for fathers young and old.
We pray for young
fathers, newly embracing their vocation; May they find courage and perseverance
to balance work, family and faith in joy and sacrifice.
We pray for our
own Fathers around the world whose children are lost or suffering; May they
know that the God of compassion walks with them in their sorrow.
We pray for men
who are not fathers but still mentor and guide us with fatherly love and
advice.
We remember
fathers, grandfather, and great grandfathers who are no longer with us but who
live forever in our memory and nourish us with their love. Amen”
