"Jesus seems to sleep through all this, curled up in the bow of the boat."

For the most part we, that is contemporary society, have isolated ourselves from the natural world. We live in climate controlled homes that re warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Electric light mean we no longer have to retire when the sun sets and rise with the sun in the morning. We can even control the quality of the air we breath.

While many of us enjoy “the great outdoors” we have largely shielded ourselves from the rhythm of the natural world, and so we tend to forget just how powerful nature can be. In fact for all the talk of greenhouse emissions, carbon footprints, and global warming, human efforts pale in comparison to what the world can do without us.

Krakatoa

Krakatoa is a caldera in the Indian Ocean. A caldera is basically a cauldron-like hollow that is left after a volcano erupts and the magma chamber empties. In 1883 Krakatoa was a volcano that exploded with the force of 200 megatons of TNT. That is 13,000 times the nuclear yield of the bomb that devastated Hiroshima during World War II. It is four times the yield of the largest nuclear device ever detonated at 50 megatons.

The explosion ejected 6 cubic miles of rock and was heard nearly 3000 miles away. One hundred and sixty five villages were destroyed, and more than 36,000 people died. Many more thousands were injured by the blast. The eruption destroyed two-thirds of the island of Krakatoa.

Had this occurred on a mainland near a heavily populated metropolis the effects would have been catastrophic.

A Storm at Sea

In ancient Israel, when Jesus walked among us, the people understood the power of the natural world. When the Gospel according to Mark tells us of the disciples being caught in a storm at seas, we read that they were terrified.

Imagine being in an open boat when a great storm suddenly comes upon you. Huge waves wash over the boat, threatening to capsize the small craft. Strong winds that could tear a sail to shreds seems to buffet you from all sides. The boat is tossed about lie so much driftwood. It is no wonder the disciples were terrified and in fear for their lives.

But Jesus seems to sleep through all this, curled up in the bow of the boat. When His followers wake Him up they ash Him, “Rabbi, do you not care that we are perishing?”

In response Jesus rebukes the wind and orders the sea to be still. Immediately all is calm and the Lord asks them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not have faith?”

It is no great secret that the Catholic Church is under attack, both from without and within. Rather than things getting better over the last few years, the storm seems to only be getting even more severe. Around the world the Church is being persecuted. In some places, believers are put to death simply for believing. The Bark of Peter (bark is another word for boat) is sailing on rough seas and is in danger of sinking.

And it does not seem to us that God is doing anything about it. It is almost as if He is asleep while we are being swamped by the waves. But the question Jesus puts to His disciples applies to us as well, do we not have faith?

This was the situation in Mark’s time. Mark’s was writing primarily to Roman Christians at a time when it seemed the nascent Church would not survive. The Church was heavily persecuted and the destruction of Jerusalem was only a few years away. So what was their response? They went to prayer. If we take today’s Gospel as an indication, then it was sort of a prayer of protest, “Teacher do you not care that we are perishing?” It was a prayer intended to “wake God up.”

But in addition to prayer, there is effort. Mark tells us that in God’s time, Jesus will hear our prayer, end this crisis and bring us peace. Our prayers will be answered. But faith is demanded of us. If the crisis seems severe then a severe faith is needed. A life threatening situation calls for a heroic faith.

The Church has survived many times of crisis over the last two thousand years. In the year 1054 a decades long tension resulted in the Great Schism. The east separated from the west, forming the Orthodox Church.

In 1378 two different men claimed to be pope. Both had legitimate arguments and it took an ecumenical council to resolve the matter and heal a divided Church.

In 1517 an obscure monk named Martin Luther invited discussion on Church reform. The ensuing firestorm resulted in another schism as a wave of apostasy swept the Church and established the protestant reformation.

It has been argued that there are factors in play that may result in a new schism greater than any the Church has experienced in the past. That may be, but the Bark of Peter will weather this storm as it has in the past. The Church may lose members, it may become smaller, but the remnant that is left will be those who have faith.

Our challenge is to keep our faith even when the sun is not shining and the storm seems overwhelming. Can our faith allow us to believe in Jesus to the point where we are willing to let Him sleep?

Pax Vobiscum
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Master’s Degree in Sacred Arts. For more information visit the website at www.pontifex.university

Lawrence Klimecki, MSA, is a deacon in the Diocese of Sacramento. He is a public speaker, writer, and artist, reflecting on the intersection of art and faith and the spiritual “hero’s journey” that is part of every person’s life. He maintains a blog at www.DeaconLawrence.org and can be reached at Lawrence@deaconlawrence.com

Lawrence draws on ancient Christian tradition to create new contemporary visions of sacred art. For more information on original art, prints and commissions, Please visit www.DeaconLawrence.org 

Purchase fine art prints of Deacon Lawrence’s work here.