Cycle B 12th Sunday Ordinary

Twelfth Sunday of the Year [CYCLE B]

MAIN MESSAGE

[This is for reference only. Please do not read it at Mass] The Gospel story of the calming of the storm leads us to think of storms: both storms in the elements and in the events of our lives. How do we feel at such times, and how do we react? At difficult times, when things seem to be out of control, we feel helpless and afraid. God wants us to remember that he is with us and to believe in his love and his power. A true story of how a family faced a brush fire and high winds will help to bring home the message.

INTRODUCTION: Celebrant: Have you ever been out in a storm?... How did you feel?... Maybe you felt excited, maybe frightened… or helpless. Today the Word of God tells us how Jesus’ friends got caught in a storm. We will see how they felt and what they did. LITURGY OF THE WORD: Commentator: Job was a friend of God who had many troubles. One day, he was in the middle of a storm, a whirlwind, when he heard God speak to him. First Reading: Job 38:1,8-11. Psalm: 107:23-24;25&28;29-30. Gospel: Mark 4:35-41.

Homily: Where were Jesus’ disciples when the storm started? [In the middle of a big lake] What

kind of storm was it? What happened? [It was a wind storm. The wind was so strong that it made huge waves. The wind started tossing the boat around and the water started filling the boat, and it began to sink]. Where

was Jesus while all this was happening? What was he doing? [He was sleeping at the back of the boat, with his head on a pillow.] What

did the disciples do? [They woke him up and said, “Aren’t you bothered about this storm? Don’t you care that all of us are going to drown?”] What

did Jesus do then? [He got up and ordered the wind and waves to be quiet. Everything became calm. The danger was over.] Was

Jesus happy or sad with his disciples? [Sad]. He felt that they should have trusted him and not got upset. If Mother Mary had been in the boat at that time, I think she would have said, “Don’t worry. Jesus seems to be asleep, but he won’t let anything bad happen. He is God after all! Trust him.” What

would you do if you were caught in a storm?

Just last month, a lady, Janet, and her two daughters had a frightening experience. They were resting in a holiday house in Panchgani (a hill station) when suddenly they heard a crackling sound and smelled smoke. They rushed outside and saw that the hill slope was on fire. All the bushes and trees below the house were burning. And the wind, which was very, very strong, was blowing the fire towards the house. It was so powerful that the sparks and smoke were rising up to 20-30 feet in the air. Janet and her daughters collected all the buckets they could find and started filling them with water and pouring it down the hillside in front of the house. Some neighbours and friends also came to help. But what were a few buckets of water compared to the huge wall of wind and fire? When a tree just in front of the house caught fire, Janet got very frightened. Then she remembered God. She took out her mobile and called a few friends in Pune, asking them to pray. Then she looked up and said, “Jesus, you are the Lord of the wind and fire. Everything belongs to you. Please tell the wind to stop and please save our house and all the people here.” Then she stopped feeling frightened and peacefully kept filling buckets and passing them on to the others. Two hours later, the danger was over. The family and neighbours stood in front of the house and looked down the hillside. Everything was burned black. But the fire had stopped 15 feet from the house! “Wow!” said one boy. “We did it!” “We did work hard ” said Janet, “but God did it!” Children, there are times when you also feel helpless or frightened. You can’t do anything to help yourself. Remember that Jesus is always with you. He may seem to be asleep, but he isn’t really. He wants you to pray to him and trust him. [Draw the children’s attention to the poster]

APPROPRIATE HYMNS ENTRANCE: How Great is Our God OFFERTORY: Father I Place COMMUNION: Jesus, You are My Salvation Without Him I Can do Nothing RECESSIONAL: God is Good All the Time With Jesus in my Boat

PREPARATION REQUIRED: • •

Make the poster and put up. Prepare children for the readings.

FIR ST REA DING : A reading from the book of Job: From the storm the Lord said to Job: ‘After the ocean was born, I enclosed it with a wall. I used the mist for its baby clothes and covered it with clouds. I marked out its boundaries and locked it behind doors.’ ‘Then I said to the ocean, “Your raging waves stop here! This is as far as you go!’ This is the Word of the Lord.

PSALM : Response: Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting. Some of you made a living by sailing the mighty sea, and you saw the miracles the Lord performed there.

ALLELUIA :

GOSPEL :

At His command a storm arose, and waves covered the sea. You were in serious trouble, but you prayed to the Lord, and he rescued you.

He made the storm stop and the sea be quiet. You were happy because of this, and he brought you to the port where you wanted to go.

Alleluia, alleluia. A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people. Alleluia.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to St. Mark.

Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the east side.” So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along. Suddenly a wind-storm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink. Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?” Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind stopped, and everything was calm. Jesus asked his disciples, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” The disciples were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the waves obey him?” This is the Gospel of the Lord. NB. All Readings are taken from the ‘Lectionary for Masses with Children’ canonically approved for use in the USA.