DO YOU NOT CARE? - 12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (6/20/2021)

Job 38:1, 8-11
Psalm 107
2 Cor. 5:14-17
Mark 4:35-41

This is basically Job’s plaint to God, and it is also uttered by Jesus’ disciples as well. Many people, even many Christians, who are undergoing severe trials, have at least been tempted to ask this. Today’s readings tell us that God is Lord of wind and sea, and indeed he does show us his care in countless ways.

JOB

Throughout most of the book of Job, God is silent as Job dialogues with his “friends” in an effort to answer the question of why he is experiencing so much suffering. Finally, here in chapter 38, God addresses Job, basically putting him in his place for questioning the ways of the Lord. The Lord reminds Job that it was he who “shut within doors the sea…and said: Thus far shall you come but no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stilled.”

St. Paul expresses the same thought in Romans 9:20: “Who are you, a man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, ‘Why have you made us this way?’”

The narrative in the Book of Job changes from Job questioning God to… God questioning Job! The Lord reminds Job as to who is the Creator and who is the creature. It is a healthy reminder, not only for Job but for all of us, especially as we are still dealing with the pandemic. Our Responsorial, Psalm 107, appropriately echoes today’s theme of being rescued from the storm on the sea.

GOSPEL

The account of Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee is found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Today’s reading contains a detail

peculiar to Mark (besides the observation that Jesus slept on a cushion!). In Matthew and Luke, the disciples cry out, “Lord, we are perishing.” In Mark, however, their words are: “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Sounds a bit like Job!

Jesus responds by rebuking the wind and commanding the sea, “Quiet! Be still.” As the wind and sea died down, Jesus addressed the disciples, and us today, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

Their response, and ours today, is to be filled with “great awe” and acknowledge that the Lord of the sea is also the Lord of every detail of our lives, and he certainly does care!

SECOND CORINTHIANS

Our second reading reiterates the message of the Paschal Mystery: “He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

St. Paul reminds us that “whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.”

The Lord says, “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev. 21:5). May the Lord make us new as well!

JESUS IS LORD AND SAVIOR

Today’s gospel emphasizes the Lordship of Jesus – his power over nature and all creation. It also brings out the Lord’s saving compassion as well. He saved his disciples, even as he chided them for their lack of faith.

And let us remember that things eventually did turn out well for Job in the end. He questioned God but did not curse him, and the Lord restored blessings to Job, even more than before. May the Responsorial, Psalm 107, be ever on our lips and in our hearts: “Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.” Amen!