Glory of God Prayer Group, St. Cecilia Parish, Wa Diocese, Ghana - Let Your Light Shine

Saint of the Day

campaigning weather for the devil

The long, dull, monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or middle-aged adversity are excellent campaigning weather for the devil. C. S. Lewis

Belief in Christianity

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. C. S. Lewis

You can't get a cup of tea big enou…

You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.   C. S. Lewis

Suffering of God's son

God had one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering. Saint Augustine

Our walking is our preaching

It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching. Francis of Assisi

Prayer does not change God

Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays. Soren Kierkegaard

A simple smile

We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do. Mother Teresa

Progress

We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive. C. S. Lewis

You must go through the experiences

The words printed here are concepts. You must go through the experiences. Saint Augustine

Courage

Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. C. S. Lewis

Importance of Christianity

Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C. S. Lewis

The gift of overcoming self

Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self. Francis of Assisi

As we are, such are the times

If we live good lives, the times are also good. As we are, such are the times. Saint Augustine

unwanted, unloved

Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat. Mother Teresa

Fear vs reverence

Where there is reverence there is fear, but there is not reverence everywhere that there is fear, because fear presumably has a wider extension than reverence. Socrates

Passion

Passion is the evil in adultery. If a man has no opportunity of living with another man's wife, but if it is obvious for some reason that he would like to do so, and would do so if he could, he is no less guilty than if he was caught in the act. Saint Augustine

Believe that you may understand

Seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. Saint Augustine

Hear the other side

Hear the other side. Saint Augustine

Forgive those who hurt you

One who is injured ought not to return the injury, for on no account can it be right to do an injustice; and it is not right to return an injury, or to do evil to any man, however much we have suffered from him. Socrates

Improve yourself by other men's wri…

Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for. Socrates

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Yr B. June 23, 2024

Readings
1st: Job 38:1, 8-11
2nd: II Corinthians 5:14-17
Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

Theme: When The Lord Speaks, Calm Shall Return

My dear people of God, today is Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Yr B. Our reflections would focus on the theme. "When the Lord speaks, calm shall return". God has not promised to keep us completely out of "storms" but He promised to be with us in them always. One of the most awesome forces around us is the sea. Even in its normal state, the sea radiates fear. The scene is worse when it is in storm. One's awe changes to sheer terror at the sight of the high, violent and forceful waves. All those who toil on the sea in tiny boats can best testify to this terrifying experience. In ancient times the raging of the sea was identified with evil forces. Influenced by the religious environment, the "chosen people of God" (Israelites) were also guided, whether consciously or unconsciously, by those beliefs. However, they also believed strongly that their true God was more powerful than the roar of many waters; He could rule over the surging of the sea. He had the power to command it to silence". That is what our First Reading of today depicts. We are very familiar with the trying experiences of Job. He had been battling and rebelling against the "storms of human condition" and was demanding that God should prove His ever presence and powers. In his fight against the "storms of life" Job grew from a state of patience to one of impatience. He questiond why God seems to have allowed an innocent person like him to suffer. In the response of God the ancient belief that the good shall prosper and the wicked suffer, which seems to be accepted in earlier conversations by both Job and his friends, is swept away as irrelevant and baseless. At the end of what looks like a cross examination of Job, God shows Himself as the creator and sole Master of the universe and has wisdom and justice that transcend those of humans. It is amazing that the sea (of life) is depicted as a troublesome infant in need of a loving Mother (God) to keep it calm. The Mother not only clothes, feeds and calms the "troublesome infant" (the sea) but also sets limits as to where the infant can or cannot go - "a picture of a Mother with total control over "a troublesome infant".

Though we are not told directly, it is easy to see and safe to conclude why Mark, Luke and John all told the story of Jesus in the storm with the "faithless disciples" on the lake - just to corroborate their common experience of Jesus as truly God. It is important to be aware that there was nothing abnormal about the storms rising, especially towards the evening, the time today's episode took place. We should also be aware that the disciples were veterants (experienced) on the sea because they earned their living as fishermen. The rising of storms and the battle with them were daily experiences. Therefore, if they cried out for help, then this particular storm must have been especially violent. We can picture the waves breaking over the boat so violently that it was sinking. Even the most macho and daring of sailors in such an instance will become very religious by force - just as everybody would shout, "Jesus, Jesus"! in times of imminent danger like (car) accident. This is what our today's Psalmist subtly alludes to. The fullest wealth of our today's reflections is contained in Mark telling us that Jesus was asleep while the disciples were scared to the bone by what looked like "the end is here". This was not a picture of a human being resting/sleeping. It was a vivid replay of how God brought calm and order out of primordial chaos at the dawn of creation. Jesus' command to the storm and the sea are the same words He used earlier to rebuke the "evil spirit" in the man who was possessed in the Synagogue in Capernaum. "Quiet! Be still!" By implication, the raging sea was identified with the forces of evil spirit. Even today we use the same words to silence a barking dog just to prevent/stop it from causing possible harm to unsuspecting strangers. The sudden calm that returned to the sea (of life) confirms that God alone has absolute power over the forces of chaos/evil.

Given the above, the authoritative silencing and calming of the storm and the sea should not be seen just as a historical event that happened sometime somewhere involving some people (the dispairing disciples). It should still be a practical experience of every man and woman of faith. That in the presence of Jesus we can have peace even in the wildest storms of life. Storms are bound to come our way. We don't need to invite them. Sometimes we are still grappling with one and a more violent and terrifying one arrives. However, our victory shall always be assured if a "storm" knocks at our door and we ask/tell Jesus to respond. The danger is when we think we can respond to every "knock" of storms by our own might/power of wealth, knowledge, position in society, etc. Common experience will tell us that the devil has no iota of respect for any of these temporal labels. If the Lord does not build the house...". Last week the preacher admonished us to Pray, Persevere and be Patient ( P.P.P.), because no condition is permanent. "Storms" will come in our marriages, at out work places, in our health, in our businesses, etc. As a nation, Ghana is currently tossed up violently by unprecedented "storms" of blatant mismanagement of state resources, abysmal implementations of crucial national policies, excruciating hardships, increasing crime rates on daily basis, etc. In the face of all these dehumanizing and paralyzing experiences (in our own Mother Land), the author of our today's Gospel points us to whom we should ran. "Lord JESUS, don't you care that we are perishing". Surely, the Lord will speak and restore calm into that violent and terrifying storm and peace shall return to the "sea of life". No matter how violent the storm is, the Man paddling the canoe is "My Father" and His Canoe has never capsized. This One Too Shall Pass. Just Pray, Persevere and be Patient. Continue to pray the Holy Rosary daily. God richly bless you and your family.

Rev. Fr. Thomas L. Debuo - Catholic Diocese of Damongo, Ghana. (0244511306/0243711926)

Reckoning my past as loss for the sake o…

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Advice to young girls

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You need to pray

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Make your every matter the Lord's

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Who pushed me?

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In praise of the Lord

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