Philip Raj A csc –
Readings: Job 38:1, 8-11; 2 Cor 5:14-17; Mk 4: 35-41
As we gather on the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the readings of the day extend a special invitation to place our trust in God and always maintain unwavering faith in our lives. In the first reading, we see the life of Job, who, despite losing all his possessions and belongings, never stopped praising God. Both in times of happiness and sorrow, Job never lost his hope in God.
In the second reading, St. Paul reminds us that if we are in Christ, we become a new creation. Christ Jesus has given us the opportunity to inherit the newness of life. The moment we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are transformed into a new creation in him. In the gospel reading, the disciples of Jesus failed to trust Him. Despite witnessing numerous miracles performed by Jesus, they lacked faith. Often, when we are well, we hardly remember God. Like the disciples, we tend to call on Jesus only when we face troubles and difficulties.
Sometimes, when we get no answers to our prayers, we think God has abandoned us. However, this is a mistaken belief. We must go through storms and challenges to become strong and experience the newness of life. Jesus is always present in the boat with us, so let our hearts praise him at all moments of our lives. Pope Francis reminds us, “We need to trust in the mighty power of God’s mercy. We are all weak, but we must not forget that we are precious in the eyes of God.” Let these readings inspire us to trust in God’s constant presence and mercy, and to live as new creations in Christ