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Saturday – Third Week – OT1
Readings: Heb 11:1-2, 8-19; Mk 4:35-41.
1/ Reading I: NAB Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. 2 Because of it the ancients were well attested. 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. 9 By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God. 11 By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age– and Sarah herself was sterile– for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. 12 So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore. 13 All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth, 14 for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.” 19 He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol.
2/ Gospel: NAB Mark 4:35 On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, “Let us cross to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. 38 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?” 39 He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” 41 They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
I. THEME: We must believe what God promises.
Why do we believe one’s saying is true? In general, there are three reasons: because we see it; because we see its result even don’t see it; and because the position of the one who says.
Today readings want to convince people to believe in God’s promise. In the first reading, the author of the Letter to the Hebrews gave a simple reason why our forefathers believed, that is: because God promises. They believed that God shall never forget to fulfill what He promised. In the Gospel, Jesus rebuked his disciples lacking of faith when they had him who has power over storms, as a companion in the same boat.
II. ANALYSIS:
1/ Reading I: People must live their faith.
1.1/ The correct definition of faith: According to the author, “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” This definition is seen from the aspect of the one who has faith. To reach what one hopes for which is the eternal life, one must believe in Christ (Jn 6:39-40) and what he revealed about God. Though people don’t see God and achieve the eternal life yet, but people’s faith in Christ is an evidence for this reality. For example, when we see the faith of the martyrs, we know the reason of their courageous death.
1.2/ The faithful examples of the forefathers: They completely believe in God’s promises though they don’t see results yet, or God’s promises can’t happen according to human ways. The author illustrated by two examples.
(1) Abraham, the father of all believers: The author wrote, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go.” To leave his father’s land to live in a foreign land, he must be urged by a right reason because Abraham must live an unsettled life and face many dangers. The only reason why he left Urs is simply because of God’s promise, and he completely trust in God.
God didn’t call Abraham from Urs to settle in a fixed place, but wandering around until God gave him an eternal place, not of this world. The author described as follows, “By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise; for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God.”
(2) Sarah, Abraham’s wife: also expressed her strong faith in God. Both of them advanced in age and didn’t have a son to continue their genealogy. At their ages, they can’t have a child according to human way; but she still trusts in God because she believes that the One who promises is faithful. He can make “one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.”
1.3/ Their faith was purified in painful trials:
(1) They are firm in faith though they don’t see the result yet: God’s promise of giving Abraham descendants “as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore” wasn’t fulfilled when he lived in this world; but he still firmly believe in God. The reason for this is, “They acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth, for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”
(2) They are strong in trial: Even when God gave him a son, Isaac, Abraham was ready to sacrifice his son to show his faith in God. The reason why he did so because he believes that God has power to resurrect the dead. Lastly, when God sees Abraham’s absolute trust in Him, He gave Isaac back to him as a type of what shall happen in Christ.
2/ Gospel: “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
Mark reported: “On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took him 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.” Facing the squall, we see two contrasted reactions:
2.1/ The apostles’ reaction: They reacted like human beings because they are afraid of death. They waked Jesus up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
We don’t know how many miracles did Jesus perform up to this point, but one thing we certainly know is that it is not enough for them to put their trust in him. Later, after Jesus fed five thousands people, he walked on water to come to them when they faced a terrible storm. They were still afraid and thought he is a ghost. When Jesus commanded for storm to be quiet, they frightened and said to another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
2.2/ Jesus’ reaction was completely different with the apostles: While the apostles are working against the storm, “Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.” They can’t understand why a person could sleep while the storm is doing such violence to them! And when they shouted out to wake him up, “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?””
Through this event, the apostle and we must learn an important lesson for our life: Once we have a strong faith, no storm can shake our faith in God. When we face the storm, it is the time for us to live our faith.
III. APPLICATION IN LIFE:
– Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.
– Faith must be expressed in action. We must believe and practice what God teaches us.
– Faith must be purified in trials and sufferings. The one who has faith shall not be terrified or complain when facing them.