If The Boat’s A Rockin’ Don’t Come Knockin’ | January 30, 2016

January 30, 2016

“As evening drew on, Jesus said, ‘Let us cross to the other side.’” Raise your hand if you have ever been in a situation that drew on and on and you just wanted to cross over to the other side. Isn’t it good to know that Jesus understands? “Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.” I like the “just as he was” clarification because it implies that kind of spontaneity or living in the Spirit that does not involve packing a bag, or snacks, or making a run to Target to get some things for your trip, or even grabbing a jacket…”just as you are” means no luggage. I get it. I am away right now as a result of an immediate need to come out on the other side of something and while I did pack a bag (a girl needs clean underwear, you know), I am “just as I am” because quite honestly that is all I have right now. Raise your hand if you have ever felt like you have nothing really to give and all you can do is just show up.

“A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up.” I lived on a sailboat for two years when I was first married. Living on a boat was probably one of the best adventures of my life and being lullabied by the gentle rocking of the sea is by far the best way to sleep, (“Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.”) however, when the sea is angry and your tiny boat must climb those daunting swells that tower over your baby-sized vessel, it is indeed terrifying. There is a bit of an off color colloquialism among “boat people”, “if the boat’s a rockin’, don’t come knockin’!” Unfortunately, I think we also apply that statement to regular life. Let’s face it, no one wants to deal with someone with lots of baggage, or drama, or when a violent squall comes along. I think that is why we feel like we need to keep our problems to ourselves and we feel guilty for burdening our friends with our crap. But, I love love love Jesus in today’s gospel because he slept peacefully through the whole damn storm! Nothing can disturb someone who knows true peace, even a boat-tossing tempest. When we are at peace, we also rest on a comfy cushion (like Jesus did) of confidence during our own storms and when our friends are in turmoil as well. Where does that kind of peace come from? One sentence: “Come, Holy Spirit.” We have to live in the Spirit who is the rushing wind, who is our very own breath, who is the consuming fire, who is the gentle whisper of our hearts, who is the water on which we are called to walk.

When we lack the peace given to us by the Spirit, however, all we have to do is wake up the Lord and ask, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” “Jesus, do you not care that all my friends have abandoned me?” “Lord, do you not care that I am in despair?” “Master, do you not care that the darkness has entered in?” “Savior, do you not care that my mom has cancer?” “Beloved, do you not care that my dad is suffering?” Then guess what? “He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ The wind ceased and there was great calm.” Why were we ever terrified anyway? Jesus is resting on a comfy cushion just waiting for us to wake him up with our pleadings so that he can calm whatever storm we are in. He might not take away the issue, but only he can calm the waters that terrify us. He says, “when the boat’s a rockin’ I come knockin’, but you have to let me in!” Today is a day for us to renew our faith, which means we need to trust that Jesus will bring the peace that we desperately need so that the storms of our lives will not shake us.

Reading 1 2 SM 12:1-7A, 10-17

The LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he came to him,
Nathan said: “Judge this case for me!
In a certain town there were two men, one rich, the other poor.
The rich man had flocks and herds in great numbers.
But the poor man had nothing at all 
except one little ewe lamb that he had bought.
He nourished her, and she grew up with him and his children.
She shared the little food he had 
and drank from his cup and slept in his bosom.
She was like a daughter to him.
Now, the rich man received a visitor, 
but he would not take from his own flocks and herds 
to prepare a meal for the wayfarer who had come to him.
Instead he took the poor man’s ewe lamb 
and made a meal of it for his visitor.”
David grew very angry with that man and said to him: 
“As the LORD lives, the man who has done this merits death!
He shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold 
because he has done this and has had no pity.”

Then Nathan said to David: “You are the man!
Thus says the LORD God of Israel:
‘The sword shall never depart from your house, 
because you have despised me 
and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.’
Thus says the LORD:
‘I will bring evil upon you out of your own house.
I will take your wives while you live to see it, 
and will give them to your neighbor.
He shall lie with your wives in broad daylight.
You have done this deed in secret, 
but I will bring it about in the presence of all Israel, 
and with the sun looking down.’”

Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan answered David: “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:
you shall not die.
But since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed, 
the child born to you must surely die.”
Then Nathan returned to his house.

The LORD struck the child that the wife of Uriah had borne to David, 
and it became desperately ill.
David besought God for the child.
He kept a fast, retiring for the night 
to lie on the ground clothed in sackcloth.
The elders of his house stood beside him 
urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not, 
nor would he take food with them.

Responsorial Psalm PS 51:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

R. (12a) Create a clean heart in me, O God.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Free me from blood guilt, O God, my saving God;
then my tongue shall revel in your justice.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Alleluia JN 3:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 4:35-41

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Let us cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.
And other boats were with him.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind, 
and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”