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Why are you terrified?

(Mk 4:40)

      Our chapter assembly this month has been postponed from 8 to 22 March. The Christian Life Program, after a Spirit-filled Orientation session on 22 February, has been re-scheduled to resume on 19 April. Weekly prayer meetings during the period from 23 February to 18 March have been cancelled. The Evangelization Training has been moved from 15 to 22 March.  And arrangements still remain uncertain for the MER and SER on 28-29 March.

My brothers and sisters, as I reflected on all these developments, I could not help but ask: Why are all these things happening? Lord, what is your message in all this? Are we making these decisions out of prudence or out of fear? Are we being obedient to government authorities or are we using the current circumstances as a good excuse for complacency? As I pondered these things, the Gospel story of the calming of the storm came into my mind. I remembered that it was during this incident that Jesus made his strongest rebuke directed to the disciples.

On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took him 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)

This miracle story is a drama in three acts. In the first act, the troubled plight of the storm-tossed boat is contrasted with the tranquil sleep of Jesus. In the second act, the frantic fear of the disciples is contrasted with the confident calm of Jesus. Finally, in the third act, the stern rebuke by Jesus, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”, is contrasted with the puzzled awe shown by the disciples, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

This story has been used to illustrate the disciples’ lack of faith. But what exactly does the disciples’ unbelief consist in? It is said that the disciples’ unbelief is manifested in their fearful attitude towards the storm. Indeed this is apparent in the fact that while Jesus confidently sleeps, the disciples fearfully cry out, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” It is argued then that the disciples’ fear is driven principally by their lack of faith.

On the other hand, one may argue that the very fact that the disciples cried out to Jesus is proof that they have faith in him. Granted that it may be a worried and reproachful kind of faith, but still this very act indicates that the disciples believe that it is only Jesus who can rescue them from the eminent danger. They believe that he has the power to save them, and so they cry out to him.

This last argument may be countered by saying that precisely in the fact that the disciples woke up Jesus that their unbelief was manifested. If they had faith in Jesus, then they should have trusted that while he was with them in the boat, they could not perish. They should have believed that he would intervene before it was too late. But since they decided instead to wake him up, this then is a clear manifestation of their lack of faith in Jesus.

However, against this argument, one could also contend that the disciples woke up Jesus not because of their lack of faith, as stated above, but because they were simply impatient. They trusted that he would intervene, but for lack of patience, and not necessarily for lack of faith, they decided to wake Jesus up.

            In the light of all these arguments, what then does the disciples’ lack of faith really consist in? Why did the evangelist use this situation to express the disciples’ lack of faith? Why did Mark have Jesus ask the question, “Do you not yet have faith?” What should be the attitude of the disciples in the given situation that could have been called faith?

I believe that to the evangelist who wrote this Gospel story, the only genuine manifestation of faith on the part of the disciples would have been to trustfully endure the storm to the point of being ready to perish with Jesus. Indeed they should believe that Jesus can and will save them. But even if he does not, they should trust him even at the cost of their very lives. However, as the Gospel story shows, the disciples were not prepared for unconditional faith in Jesus. Instead, they pleaded for the manifestation of his divine power. The disciples did not count on perishing with Jesus in that storm.

            But this is the kind of faith the disciples are called to profess! Indeed, this is also the kind of faith we are all called to affirm! We are called to profess the same kind of faith that is shown by the friends of Daniel who, faced with the threat of being thrown into a furnace, bravely declares: If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up (Dan 3:17-18). We are not called to merely believe in the power of an almighty God. We are called to trust him unconditionally whether he chooses to manifest his power or not.

            This is the failure of the disciples. They have seen Jesus perform awesome and miraculous deeds. They believe that he can save them. Indeed during that storm, the disciples called for the manifestation of his power and asked for the epiphany of his divine Sonship. But that is not the mere level of faith they are called to. And so they earn a rebuke from the Lord.

This is also our failure. To us who profess a personal relationship with the Father through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit, God cannot be just a miracle-worker. He cannot be for us a magical wonder-worker whom we can turn on or off depending on our need. Authentic faith demands no conditions. We can rest assured in the knowledge that God has absolute power and that he will act when he chooses to. But even during times when he chooses not to act according to our wish, we should continue to trust in him.

My brothers and sisters, we should not “wake Jesus up” only to reproach him with words like, “Do you not care that we are perishing?” During these difficult and stormy times, if Jesus chooses to “sleep” we should be ready to “perish” with him. We should trust him even at the cost of our lives. But sadly, we are often not able to. And so we also earn his rebuke, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” Recognizing our shortcomings and weaknesses, let us pray then that God may grant us the grace to truly believe that Jesus is present in our community and that he may calm the storm of our fears.

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