Let Us Go To The Other Side

Let Us Go To The Other Side

3nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines
June 20, 2021

Readings: Job 38:1-11, 16-18
2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Mark 4: 35-41

Because of Christ, we have been made holy. Because of Christ, we have life. But do we trust Him or have enough confidence in Him? Today’s Gospel should make us realize how truly blessed we are.

Christ had been teaching the whole day on the boat and at the end of the day, he was physically tired. He told His disciples, “Let us go to the other side.” The huge crowd who had been listening to Him were all blessed. They were spiritually fed, and so they were sent away. The disciples then took Him out to the lake so they could travel to the other side. Jesus was on the back of the boat and slept on a pillow. While they were in the middle of the lake, the storm came. It was the violent kind accompanied by raging winds. But in the midst of the storm. Jesus was at peace and sleeping peacefully. The disciples became fearful and tried to wake Him up saying, “Teacher, don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!” Jesus stood up and spoke to the wind, “Be still!” And the wind stopped and immediately the lake became calm. He said to His followers, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples had no reason to react the way they reacted because of two things: 1) First, Jesus had clearly said. “Let us go to the other side.” 2) He was with them. Shouldn’t His presence be enough assurance? Jesus understood His authority. He was showing them that he had power over nature.

In the Hebrew language, when He spoke to the wind to “Be still,” the words were likened to the words he said against the demon-possessed man. He gives to us a picture of the storm which represents evil, because it is destructive and violent. Evil could not touch Him whenever He spoke and stood against the foe. Other incidents which proved that God is in dominion are; Moses at the burning bush where the fire was not consumed. Or the three Hebrew children who were thrown into the fiery furnace but were unscathed. Or Jonah inside the belly of a whale for three days but who was untouched and came out alive. Or Job who literally went through hell after losing everything and catching boils all over his body. Yet in spite of all the tests and trials, he came out of it victoriously and in fact received more than what he had before.

Picture Christ in the midst of the storm, and He was at peace. The storm became silent when He spoke. In the midst of our turmoil when negative things come against us, we should have peace because Christ is with us. When He speaks, He fulfills His word. “We are going to the other side.” He wasn’t going to be affected by any storm, because nature is subject to Him. Even in death, we should be thankful that those who died in Christ have moved on to the realm where they are now with Christ. Regardless of how great our problems are, there is peace. We should not be affected by the storms in life, knowing that God will help us solve the problems, show us the way, remove the doubts and uncertainty. God is in control. He is in dominion. He gives us peace. The enemy of peace is fear. Peace is the love of God. When our hearts are troubled, when within our spirits there is tumult, Christ is our answer. God took away our sin and iniquities and gave us righteousness and holiness. He lifted us up. Faith has been given to us.

In our lives today, can we not trust Him when He says, “you are going to the other side?” Believe and you will see the glory of God. He is telling us the same thing today – that peace should reign in our lives. He’s the One who holds our future. Our tomorrow.

Colossians 1:19-20 For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in Him should all the fulness dwell: and through Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him I say, whether things upon the earth, or things in heaven.

Colossians 1:27-29 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”

The strength of our lives is Christ in us. If we entertain fear, we only bring upon ourselves the things that don’t belong to us. But if we have faith, faith will drive the fear away. Christ’s provisions are with us. He will not allow the storms of life to destroy us.

1st Timothy 1:1 Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our Hope.

2nd Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and discipline.

Faith is the fertilizer that causes the seed in us to grow. The gospel today not only challenges us but should give us hope. When the storm comes and we have anxieties, we should call upon the Lord. He went to the cross to get rid of “the old things,” to give us the new. This is a powerful lesson in life, that God is with us. He gives us wisdom to know what to say and how to deal with situations each day.

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