When God Falls Asleep

12^th Sunday in the Ordinary Time

June 21, 2015

Mark 4:35-41

“Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith (Mrk 4:40)?”

Did God ever fall asleep? Today’s Gospel explicitly tells us that Jesus, the God-Man, fell asleep in the boat. He must be very tired after a day-long ministry and preaching, that not even storm could disturb Him. Indeed, He was asleep in the midst of the storm. Yet, it was not the case with the disciples. They were frightened by the storm. We need to remember that the some of the disciples were seasoned fishermen doing their daily job in the same Lake of Galilee, and braving storms must have been a part of their job descriptions. However, this time, they were afraid and terrified. The storm must be unusually formidable.

The experience of the disciples are not far from ours. At times, we are facing unexpectedly fierce storms in our lives, and worse, we feel that God seems to be asleep. We are rocked by problems and conflicts that threaten even the existence of our family. We are betrayed by persons we trust most. We are losing money, job and our home, and we are inflicted by terrible sickness that make death real. Then, we pray a lot, we go to the Church, and we try every way. Yet, He remains asleep. We ask then, “Where is He when I need Him most? Does He really care?”

Some can no longer bear His silence and turn to be bitter. Some of us may not be active anymore in the Church’s activities and organizations. Some even go to the extent of leaving the Church all together. However, this is not a sweeping reality. Despite darkest moments of our lives, some of us remain steadfast in our little faith. In my seminary, I was currently assigned in the apostolic group taking care of the poor. A lot of poor people come to us and asking our help, but since our limited resources, we cannot really alleviate them from their sickening condition. Some people are complaining and even cursing us when we cannot give what they need, but some remain grateful with little help we give. Once, a lady came asking for help. She was practically living in the street, left by his husband, and having terrible sickness on her lungs. She has all the reason to hate God for His silence. Yet, she did not. Despite very little help I could give, she remained thankful and even prayerful. She moved my heart and even opened my eyes.

Indeed, at times, God seems to be asleep, but we need to remember that He is never out from the boat. We are the one who jump over the board because we have no faith in Him. And jumping to the sea is killing us. Some philosophers and thinkers argue that our faith is just kind of heroin that ease us from our sufferings. However, our faith does not offer to medicine to terminate our sufferings instantly, and in fact, it allows us to experience God’s silence. Yet, when we hold on to our faith, we know we will not sink. We will not go bitter, not be complaining, and not be cursing. Instead through trials and sorrows, Jesus makes us more even generous, understanding and grateful for the little things we have. Let us learn from St. James, “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (Jam 1:2-4).”

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP