Scripture Reflections for Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

"I’ve always had a bit of apprehension swimming in large bodies of water, like lakes or oceans. Especially if the water is dark and cold. I grew up in Hawaii, where there are many almost crystal-clear bays and the water is generally around 80 degrees, but even there, especially in the winter, the surf could rise and become extremely threatening. Finding out I spent half my childhood in the Aloha state, people sometimes ask me..."

John Bergsma. "Waves Can’t Drown God." The Sacred Page. June 19, 2021

"When medieval artists and icon painters of the Eastern Christian tradition portrayed Jesus about to be baptised by John the Baptist, they often portrayed all sorts of strange and menacing sea creatures in the waters in which Jesus stood. This symbolised that, in accepting baptism, Jesus was acting in solidarity with the human condition, not least what threatens us."

Fr. John O'Connor. "Tossed by the Waves." Torch. June 15, 2021

"In the Gospel reading for this Sunday, St Mark tells of Jesus stilling the storm on the Sea of Galilee. He and his disciples had spent the day with the crowds out on the hills, and Jesus was tired. Talking to large numbers of people, and coping with the questions and anxieties of individuals, is very draining. So as soon as he got into the boat with his disciples, he lay down on the cushion..."

Fr. Fabian Radcliffe. "Why Are You Afraid?." Torch. June 17, 2015

"The idea of the Church as a ship has always been popular. In today's gospel reading we can see the biblical inspiration for nautical themes. It is imagery the early church was quick to pick up on. Many of the early disciples were fishermen, and the apostles spread the Gospel along the sea routes. For people's whose daily lives revolved around the sea and had knowledge of what life at sea was like, using seafaring..."

Fr. David McLean. "Stormy Weather." Torch. June 21, 2009

"St Mark's words might express the feelings of many people of shaky faith or none. When the storms of life rage overhead, people often can't keep themselves from a word of protest: Where is God when I need him most?"

Fr. Mark Edney. "With Jesus through the Storms of Life." Torch. June 22, 2003

"We can always triumph if we rely on the supreme power of God over destructive forces. John Newton used to be among the captains of the cargo ships carrying slaves from Africa to America. He never worried whether slave trade was right or wrong. It brought money, and that was just enough. One night during their sail, a raging storm blew hell at the sea."

Father Lawrence Obilor. "He calms our storms." A Catholic Moment. June 20, 2021

"As I am writing this, we are sitting in the aftermath of another mass shooting and murder here in America. Nine people were killed in brutal fashion yesterday in Charleston, S.C., in their church of all places, conducting a peaceful and loving bible study. They were the victims of a hate crime, and an act of terrorism. Pure and simple."

Joseph LaCombe. "Calming the Global Storm." A Catholic Moment. June 21, 2015

"Some years back, just a few weeks after being ordained a priest, I found myself chaplain for a month at one of the London hospitals. One day I was called to the bedside of a young boy dying of cancer. His parents were there and we all sat together for the last few hours of his life."

Fr. Martin Ganeri. "Do You Not Care?." Torch. June 25, 2006