Friday, March 14, 2008

Faith that dissolves fear

Mk 4:35-41 - On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”

Again, this is a great example of God teaching true fear through nature and miracles. The disciples are at first fearful of the boat being capsized by the water. Than they are commanded not to fear anything. And then after seeing a miracle, they naturally fear God. They move from fear of creation and death to fear of God who is greater than both death and creation. It is interesting that Jesus asks them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” It seems that these are two mutually exclusive. You can’t fear or be afraid and have faith, too. Such a simple statement with far reaching results. If we have a faith in an almighty, in control God, we will not need to be afraid of anything.