We are reminded in today’s liturgy of the power of God, in the reading from the Book of Job, which is the story of a good man who has endured numerous tragedies and who wonders where God is when he is suffering so much. It is part of the Wisdom literature, which explores the human condition in all its complexities. In answer the Lord speaks of his infinite power. He is the only one who can see the whole picture.
The gospel tells of the storm at sea, which terrified the disciples, fishermen who would be all too well aware of the dangers of the lake. The vast expanse of water can be seen as a symbol of the omnipotence of its creator. Perhaps, however, at the heart of the story are the tumults that rage inside each one of us at certain times. Like the disciples we can feel helpless and abandoned, as though God sleeps like Jesus in the boat.
Putting our trust in him totally is not easy. It means allowing the storm to rage around us while we wait for him to act. Sometimes it is beyond our power to do anything for ourselves. Throughout her life Mary put herself entirely in God’s hands. As an unmarried mother in that society she could have been stoned, yet God protected her. We are told that when a crisis occurred, such as the loss of Jesus in the temple, she pondered over the incident, which she did not understand.