WEDNESDAY, SECOND WEEK OF LENT

Jesus Taught by His Actions

A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But [Jesus] was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and [the disciples] 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 still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4: 37-41

Once upon a time, a young seminary student was anxious and frenzied: A loved one at college far away was being hounded by a classmate of hers who was mentally unbalanced. Although he communicated regularly with her via long distance in those pre-cellphone days, it was becoming more than he could bear to hear of her difficulties. Waves of helplessness, frustration, fear, and anger swept over him.

One of his friends sensed the emotional upheaval and asked what was bothering him. The student’s stormy responses included despair over an inability to do anything for her, exasperation over the distance of separation between the two of them and finally, questions about why he was in seminary in the first place.

“Let’s go for a walk,” said his friend. Non-judgmental questions, comments, and quiet conversation continued on the streets for two hours. After returning to the dorm, they hugged one another in tears. It was the first time that the young student had hugged a man other than a member of the family.

“Who do you trust?” asked his friend.
“You…and Steve, Val, and Jack.” responded the young man.
“Not good enough,” said the friend, “just not good enough.”
And it suddenly dawned on the seminarian what his friend meant. Who is it that even the winds and sea obey?

“Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Rabbi, teach me to trust in that which truly protects. Amen.