Who then was He really? Even nature obeyed Him!!

What seems to be just another Jesus’ miracle, the “calming of the storm” episode was recounted in all the Synoptic Gospels, bearing its own significance to both Jesus’ disciples and us.

In the First Reading from the Book of Job, God revealed Himself powerful and omnipotent, defeating and controlling all other forces. In the Gospel reading, Jesus displayed this mighty power - the power over all the elements of nature. He was certainly unlike other miracle workers. Truly, “who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

To the disciples, it was not only the subduing authority of Jesus that “filled them with great awe”, but also the manner and the immediacy of His word of command. His sovereignty recalled the story of Genesis - God spoke and creation happened. God’s dominion over cosmic powers was acknowledged by ancient Israel (Ps 89:9, 107:25-30, Prv 30:4). If Jesus had the ability to control nature by mere words, who then was He really? A question not only posed by the disciples but by us too. A question that invites a response, a response of faith --- that He is God.

Our Lord never promised us a rose garden (cf Jn 16:33) but what was true of the God of Israel is also true of Jesus who is the living God. If the God of Israel took control of all things and protected His people, so does Jesus. He was in the midst of the disciples then; He is in the midst of us now. Our lives may be like the boat, tossed up and down in the raging sea and battered by the howling wind. But if Jesus can calm the storm with one word, He surely can calm the “storms” of our lives. His only request is that we have faith in Him. Let us not hear Him repeating to us the words He said to His disciples: “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”