Psalm 107 – deacon rudy's notes

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we’re going to break open the Word!

Today’s readings give us insight into the power of God who alone can calm the stormy seas.

That is good news!

You see, I think we live in stormy times. Our lives, especially in the West, are overrun with commitments and busy schedules- even now as we emerge from the effects of the pandemic. Life moves pretty fast.

One of the ways I experience the storm is when I enter into Christian meditation. Many times I am overcome by a storm filled with many distractions! Sometimes I can’t focus on just being with the Lord.

Today’s Gospel is a reminder to me that I cannot overcome the storm on my own. I am not alone. I need to turn to Jesus and ask Him for help.

How can Jesus help me overcome the storm? One of my spiritual directors suggested that in the thick of stormy thoughts, I can turn to Jesus and ask, “Will you hold this for me?”

It doesn’t matter what it is. I can ask Jesus to hold the distracting thought for me. If it’s truly important, I ask Jesus to give it back to me later when I’m ready for it. You know what? It works! Only Jesus can calm the storm!

Homework! Nourished by the Word and the Eucharist, I ask you to reflect on the following question and activity.
First, do I turn to Jesus to help me face the storm?
Second, when I pray this week, if distractions come, ask Jesus to hold them for you.

I think doing our homework will help us be present to Jesus in our everyday lives – especially during the storm. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image: Too Many Thoughts. Artist Unknown. JPG.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
2. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1992.
3. Stegman, Thomas D. SJ. Second Corinthians. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2009. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Jesus, true God and true Man: 423, 464-469
2. Christ’s redemptive death: 601-5
3. Christ’s unique sacrifice: 613-17
4. Maintaining faith in adversity: 671-2
5. Baptism: 1265-70
6. Faith as gift of God, and human response: 1814-16

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062021.cfm
Lectionary: 95

Reading 1
Job 38:1, 8-11
The Lord addressed Job out of the storm and said:
Who shut within doors the sea,
when it burst forth from the womb;
when I made the clouds its garment
and thick darkness its swaddling bands?
When I set limits for it
and fastened the bar of its door,
and said: Thus far shall you come but no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stilled!

Responsorial
Psalm 107:23-24, 25-26, 28-29, 30-31
R. (1b) Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They who sailed the sea in ships,
trading on the deep waters,
These saw the works of the LORD
and his wonders in the abyss.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
His command raised up a storm wind
which tossed its waves on high.
They mounted up to heaven; they sank to the depths;
their hearts melted away in their plight.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They cried to the LORD in their distress;
from their straits he rescued them,
He hushed the storm to a gentle breeze,
and the billows of the sea were stilled.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They rejoiced that they were calmed,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his kindness
and his wondrous deeds to the children of men.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2
2 Corinthians 5:14-17
Brothers and sisters:
The love of Christ impels us,
once we have come to the conviction that one died for all;
therefore, all have died.
He indeed died for all,
so that those who live might no longer live for themselves
but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh;
even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh,
yet now we know him so no longer.
So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come.

Alleluia
Luke 7:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has risen in our midst
God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mark 4:35-41
On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Let us cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.
And other boats were with him.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

Share this: