Posted by The WORD in other words (2006) by Fr Oliver Quilab SVD – Germany
Saturday 3rd Week in Ordinary Time
Image source : Wikimedia Commons
“Natutulog ba ang Diyos?”– is a haunting vocal rendition of a Filipino pop singer echoing our insecurity and desperation at times when God seems to be absent or asleep in the midst of our tragedies. Almost instinctively we demand maximum protection, full attention, well-being and peace from a loving God.
Why does a benevolent God allow evil and suffering to befall us? It is an age-old question which may just hover above our heads until we experience ourselves the specter of suffering and death mocking us in the face: killer tsunami waves, typhoons and floods, abject poverty, political instability, genocide, terrorist attacks, broken relationships, loss of a loved one, career failure, vehicular accidents, sickness. And the litany of disasters – on a global, national, personal level – can be extended ad infinitum.
We may well ask: If Jesus stilled the raging storm on the Sea of Galilee 2000 years ago, why does He not intervene now? For certain we will run the risk of breaking our heart and losing our faith if we take the gospel narrative simply as the stilling of the raging storm.
The significance of the story is far greater than that – the meaning of this story is not that Jesus subdued a storm in Galilee, but that wherever Jesus is present the storms of life – natural or man-made, external or internal – become a calm. It means that in the presence of Jesus the most terrifying of tragedies turns to peace and serenity. His presence is His assuring present to us: I am there, I will be there. Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
Are we thankfully aware of Jesus’ presence in our hearts, in our families, in our communities, in our church, in our world? We may never fully understand why evil and suffering befall the world, why certain storms and calamities break into our lives, but the grateful awareness of His presence gives us inner peace, hope and strength to brave every storm. “Huway mo sanang akalain, natutulog pa ang Diyos, ang buhay mo ay mayroong halaga sa Kanya”.
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