Reflection on Matthew 8:23-27

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

In today’s Gospel we see a classic example of the humanity and divinity of Jesus at play almost simultaneously. After Jesus gets into a boat, he is followed by his disciples. As they sail to their destination, a violent storm begins to rage in the sea. It is so strong and powerful that the disciples feared that either they are swept away by the sea or their boat will sink. Their lives are under a serious threat. Meanwhile, as they struggle to use their fishing trade to steady the boat, Jesus is sitting in one corner taking a well deserved rest. He is sleeping— an indication that he is tired and therefore a human being. After waking Jesus up, the disciples exclaim, “Lord, save us. We are perishing!” Surprisingly Jesus rebukes them for their lack of faith and describes their faith as being little. Then he gets up, speaks and rebukes the winds and the sea, and immediately there is, not calm, but great calm— an indication that he is not merely a human being. He has full and total control over the forces of nature. He is God. Seeing what has just happened, the disciples wonder aloud, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and sea obey?” To answer their question, Jesus is the very incarnation of Yahweh. He is God in human flesh who is moving among his people. 

This gospel teaches us that even when Jesus is in the boat of our life, the sea can still rage; some ugly events can still shake our lives; temptations can still happen; we can still experience difficulty in life; our very existence can sometimes be threatened. Being his disciple does not exempt us from the storms of life. Being a member of the Church is no guarantee of smooth sailing. As we live our lives as members of the Church and await “the day of the Lord” and the end of this age, storms will occasionally occur. At times it may appear that Jesus is asleep, doing nothing, not helping us to calm the troubles that are affecting our lives. But in the face of any difficulty, let’s imitate the disciples of Jesus. Yes, their faith was little, but it was enough to take them to Jesus. Yes, their was little, but it was enough to believe that Jesus is able to do something to secure their lives. Yes, their faith was little, but it was enough to wake Jesus up from sleep. Yes, their faith was little, but it was enough spur them to act and shout, “Lord, save us! We are perishing.” 

Beloved in Christ, Jesus wants us his 21st century disciples to be with him wherever he goes, sharing his life and enduring the hardships of this present age. Nothing we face on earth should deter us from following him because what awaits us is far greater than what we face at the present. No matter what storms rage, remain resolute and determined to follow him. Jesus is Lord. He deserves our loyalty, worship, praise, adoration, and our very life.