Why Are We So Fearful?
February 1, 2025 - Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
Mark 4:35-41
“On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, ‘Let us cross to the other side’” (Mark 4:35). This verse marks a turning point in the Gospel of Mark. Up until now, Jesus has been teaching about the mystery of God’s kingdom through parables (Mark 4:1-34). Now, the narrative shifts to reveal Jesus’ authority over nature, demons, disease, and death (Mark 4:35–5:43). These accounts are meant to build our trust in the Lord.
The journey across the sea had a purpose: to liberate a man trapped in the realm of death (Mark 5:1-20). The storm that arose, while characteristic of the Sea of Galilee, seems to symbolize spiritual opposition to this act of liberation. Jesus’ words to the wind and waves, “Quiet, be still!” (Mark 4:39), echo the commands He used to silence demons (see Mark 1:25; 3:12). This suggests that the storm was more than a natural phenomenon—it was a manifestation of the forces seeking to thwart Jesus’ mission.
“Teacher, does it not matter to you that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38). How often do we find ourselves uttering similar words in the midst of our struggles? We accuse God of indifference, forgetting that our lives matter deeply to Him. My mother’s favorite phrase, “God, you see it, and you don’t thunder?” captures this sentiment perfectly. Yet, the issue is not God’s care but our failure to recognize His greatness and presence in our lives. Like the disciples, we marvel at the mystery of Christ, asking, “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41).
The first miracle in this story is not the calming of the sea but Jesus’ ability to sleep in the midst of a life-threatening storm. This remarkable calmness stems from His absolute trust in the Father. Can we cultivate the same peace in our storms? The answer is yes. Consider Peter, who, despite his terror in this Gospel scene, would later sleep soundly on the eve of his possible execution (Acts 12:1-6). What transformed him? The power of Christ’s cross and resurrection.
The Church has long seen this Gospel story as an allegory for its own journey through the storms of history. The boat represents the Church, the sea symbolizes the world’s chaos, and the crisis reflects the fear and doubt that arise in times of trial. Yet, can a boat carrying the Lord of creation ever sink? Why, then, are we so fearful? Why do we still have no faith? (Mark 4:40).
This passage calls us to deepen our trust in Jesus, who is always present in our storms. He may not calm the sea immediately, but His presence assures us that no wave can overwhelm us. Let us, therefore, entrust our fears to Him, confident that the Lord who commands the wind and the sea also holds our lives in His hands.
The next time a storm rages in your life, remember: the one who sleeps peacefully in the storm is also the one who calms it. Let us anchor our faith in Him and echo the words of the psalmist: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).