People's Prayers: Prayers of the People: The Crossings ~ 4th Sunday after Pentecost '21 Yr B

For Sunday, June 20, 2021, Readings: Job 38:1-11, Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Mark 4:35-41

The Lord answered Job our of the whirlwind…”Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding…” [Job 38:1, 4]

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his mercy endures forever…they cried to the Lord in their trouble…He stilled the storm to a whisper…Then they were glad because of the calm. [Psalm 107:1, 28, 30]

As we work together with Christ, we urge you not to accept the grace of God in vain…as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance…hardships, calamities…kindness, holiness of spirit…in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. [2 Corinthians 6:1, 4, 6, 8a]

A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was…asleep…and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be Still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” [Mark 4:37-40]

Oh Dear Job, it’s no wonder that the trials and tribulations of that man give rise to the expression the patience of Job. After lengthy conversations with his friends, in prior chapters, in this reading God, speaking from out of the whirlwind, is setting the record straight, reminding Job just Who has done all the work of Creation and asking the age-old question, “where were you when I was doing all of this?” The Book of Job can be confounding if taken in literal terms. Essentially, Job is based on an ancient folktale about a saintly man of that name who is also mentioned in Ezekiel 14:14, 20. This is considered to be the most difficult Book of all to interpret because of its poetic and often ambiguous language. For our purposes this week, this reading reminds us Who has Created everything, and of course, the whirlwind mentioned resonates with the appointed parts of the psalm, this section of 2 Corinthians, and, most tellingly, the storm on the Galilee in Mark’s Gospel.

Jesus wants to cross to the other side of the lake, leaving the crowds behind. He settles down for a nap as the boat sets sail. Then the storm. The Disciples are terrified of this storm on the water. But wait, aren't most of them experienced fishermen? That must have been one whale of a storm to frighten them so much and you can almost hear the translation of Jesus' words to them in today's terms as "Seriously, you woke me for this? Where is your faith?" Jesus then tells the waves and winds, Be Still! And so they become, still and dead calm.

And what does this all mean for my life? How is my level of faith? In last week’s Gospel, Jesus said we only needed faith the size of a mustard seed. What is my faith level, then, if I’m fearful of tempestuous storms? For me it depends on the day and the fear; especially during times in every human age of not only fear but raging anger and strong division in each country and across the world. But Paul urges the Corinthians not to accept the grace of God in vain. That sentence jumped out at me. No complacency, no cowering, whatever the hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots...sleepless nights...kindness, holiness of spirit..., as if most on that list isn’t frightening enough, but the message is: we have the grace we need. And whatever part of now we are in, it is the acceptable time to recognize that every now is the day of Salvation! We are to commend ourselves as God’s servants to the work to be done in the fields of faith-filled living.

Of course, it is difficult and often thankless work in this earth-bound, high-tech, materialistic, us vs. them, temporary life. Keeping my faith in God through Christ and the Holy Spirit conscious and active takes great effort sometimes. Yet it also means that I may surprise myself with my own strength, resilience, and capacity to face the fearsome foes and woes in life, especially the ones I create for myself. And so even in the most ordinary of times with some low-level daily frustrations, the excitement of great sunshine and joy, or the stormiest days with anger and fear all around, I can reboot by crossing to the other side of my heart and mind for some time to breathe deeply, be still, and calm the winds and waves within myself. And then one step forward and another, and another, in faith, in hope, in genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God [2 Cor 6:6b-7a], I can cross back, renewed and with great awe, to join again with wide open heart and soul to the One Who even the wind and sea obey.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O Lord of the Whirlwind and the Calm, in the smallest and largest moments of everyday life, in the face of angry seas or fearsome foes, in joy and in suffering, prod our souls often to turn first and always to You in faith with our hearts wide open.

Lord of Enduring Mercy

RESPONSE: Still our fear and quicken our faith

~ O Lord of the Whirlwind and the Calm, as Your servants, with Your power, we commend ourselves by endurance in afflictions, labors, and calamities, with patience, kindness, and truthful speech to challenge the leaders of Earthly, National, and Local governments as we strive to successfully defeat discrimination, injustice, and physical danger for all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Lord of Enduring Mercy