Christian Art | Calming Of The Storm
Matthew 8: 23-27 – Week 13 Ordinary Time, Tuesday (King James Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word)
23 ¶ And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Matthew is thought by some to have written his Gospel especially for converted Jews during the years 70s. Certainly, for all Christians, whether Gentile or Jew, Matthew wrote during a difficult period, when persecutions by the Roman authority became serious. By this time, there were communities of Christians dotted around the Mediterranean world. For some of these communities, repressions could be very brutal. Following on from the destruction of Jerusalem, there were also tensions between Jews and Christians in the regions of the Holy Land. The destruction of the Temple additionally represented an unsettling and loss of influence for those Jewish Christians who had been based in Jerusalem, and who had also used the Temple as a place of worship.
Jesus Faith And Trust In God | Calming Of The Storm
The miracle of the calming of the storm made a powerful impression on Jesus’ disciples. It is recounted by all three synoptic Gospels. In each Gospel, Jesus warns his disciples of the troubles to come. Jesus tells his disciples that to be Christians is going to be difficult, hard work, at times fatal.
Christians from early days have understood this miracle of Jesus as being a guide to the life of the Church and the experience of Christians. Many of us, thankfully, can only imagine the impact of the occasional bloody outbreaks of anti-Christian violence on those who sought to live a Christian life with Jesus. These were the early martyrdoms. In our own age, Christians are subject to violence and the threat of violence, for example in some countries where Islamist extremists have influence. These are the storms we weather.
The disciples were experienced fishermen, and the winds that can arise on the Sea of Galilee can be fierce, whipping up high waves. If the disciples thought they were serious danger, they no doubt were. They have followed Jesus into the boat, they are giving their lives to be travelling with Jesus, and now they are scared.
Why does Jesus sleep when there is water coming into the boat, and such fear among his disciples? Perhaps one answer is that Jesus is not afraid; he is calm in his faith in the Father. Jesus knows that the dangers posed by a storm are illusory. When he is awoken, and before he calms the storm at a word, he first asks his disciples: Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?
Perhaps we may think of some of those early martyrs, who were slaughtered for public amusement in the circuses, and variously tortured to death. They had great faith. It didn’t prevent them from being killed, but certainly they died as if nothing was troubling them, knowing they were with Jesus. It is a challenging thought. Would we be so strong, or would we be sorely afraid?
Concluding Prayer
23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
24 These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. (Psalm 107)
King James Audio Bible | Endnotes
The Disciples Do Not Know Who Jesus Is
In Matthew 8:23-27, we see the disciples struggling to understand who Jesus truly is. As they set out on a boat, a great storm arises, and the disciples become afraid. They wake Jesus, pleading with Jesus to save them. Jesus rebukes them, saying: ‘Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?’ (Matthew 8:26)
This interaction shows us that the disciples did not fully comprehend the power and authority of Jesus. They witness Jesus’ miracles and teachings, but they struggle with doubts and fears.
This is a theme throughout the Gospels. Despite being with Jesus day in and day out, the disciples often failed to understand who he was and what he came to do. They argued among themselves about who was the greatest, they questioned Jesus’ teachings, and they even betrayed him.
It is only after Jesus’ death and resurrection that the disciples finally come to fully understand who Jesus is. In the book of Acts, we see Peter proclaiming boldly: ‘Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know.’ (Acts 2:22)
This newfound understanding of Jesus’ power and authority is reflected in the writings of early Christian theologians, such as Saint Ignatius of Antioch, who wrote in one of his letters: ‘There is one physician who is possessed both of flesh and spirit; both made and not made; God existing in flesh; true life in death; both of Mary and of God; first possible and then impossible, even Jesus Christ our Lord.’
The story of the disciples’ struggle to understand who Jesus is reminds us that our faith is a journey. It is a process of growth and discovery, and we are not always going to have all the answers.
In the end, the disciples’ lack of understanding did not prevent them from being used by God to spread the good news of the Gospel.
We are given different accounts of Jesus teaching his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father, in today’s verses from the Gospel of Luke, and also in the Gospel of Matthew, during the Sermon on the Mount. Here the situation is quite different from that of Matthew. Jesus has been praying, seemingly apart, to his Father, and so it is after this that the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray. This is unusual: prayer, especially of the psalms, would have been an integral part of these Jewish people’s daily routine. We are alerted to the Lord’s Prayer being an additional offering, an innovation of grace, and a further initiation for the Christian. The prayer furthermore reflects John the Baptist’s teaching of his disciples [ … ]
Christian Art | A Boy At Prayer With Jesus | Eucharist Office Of Readings | Eastertide Week 3, Sunday | A Reading From The First Apology Of Saint Justin Martyr In Defence Of The Christians | Celebration Of The Eucharist ‘Celebration of the eucharist.’ Saint Justin Martyr: Celebration of the Eucharist Saint Justin Martyr’s account of Christian Eucharistic worship, written around 155 AD, is one of the earliest and most significant descriptions of the liturgy outside of the New Testament. Composed as part of his First Apology—a formal defense of Christianity addressed to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius—this passage reveals not only the centrality of the Eucharist in the life of the early Church but also the theological, communal, and sacrificial dimensions of Christian worship as it was practised just a few generations after the apostles. Faith, Baptism And The Moral Life As Prerequisites Justin opens by affirming that no one may partake of the Eucharist unless they believe the Church’s teachings, have been baptized (‘washed in the regenerating waters’), and live according to Christ’s commands. This threefold requirement—orthodoxy (right belief), sacramental initiation (baptism), and orthopraxy (right living)—highlights the deeply integrated nature of early Christian identity. Eucharistic communion was not a casual or symbolic act; it was a profound participation in the mystery of Christ, accessible only to those who were fully incorporated into his Body, the Church. Real Presence And Eucharistic Transformation Justin’s teaching on the Eucharist is unmistakably clear: the bread and wine, through the ‘prayer of thanksgiving’ (Greek: eucharistia), become the body and blood of the incarnate Jesus Christ. This is not metaphorical language. Drawing on the Incarnation itself as an analogy, Justin explains that just as Christ became flesh by the power of the Word, so the Eucharistic elements become his flesh and blood by the power of the same Word, invoked in prayer. This theological reasoning lays a foundation for later doctrinal developments such as the Church’s formal teaching on the Real Presence and transubstantiation. Notably, this passage predates the formalization of these doctrines by centuries, yet the essential belief is already fully formed—a powerful testimony to the apostolic origin of the Church’s sacramental theology. The Apostolic Command And Continuity Justin grounds the Eucharistic rite in the direct command of Jesus: Do this in memory of me. He attributes this tradition to the apostles’ ‘recollections’ (anamneses), which are equated with the Gospels. This demonstrates the early Church’s consciousness of its liturgical life being not a novel invention but the faithful continuation of Christ’s instruction, carried on through apostolic succession. The fact that this teaching is described in a public defence of Christianity underscores Justin’s desire to correct Roman misunderstandings about Christian worship, which had been accused of cannibalism due to misinterpretations of Eucharistic language. Sunday Worship And Scriptural Proclamation Justin describes the Sunday assembly (koinē synaxis) as a weekly gathering of Christians from both city and countryside, centered around the reading of Scripture—first the writings of the prophets (the Old Testament), then the apostolic writings (what we now call the New Testament). After the readings, the presider (likely a bishop or priest) offers a homily, encouraging moral and spiritual growth. This structure is clearly recognizable in the Mass today: the Liturgy of the Word followed by the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Importantly, Justin situates this practice within the broader theological framework of the Lord’s Day—the first day of creation and the day of the Resurrection. Thus, Sunday worship is simultaneously eschatological and cosmological: it celebrates not only the new creation in Christ but also the re-creation of the world through his rising from the dead. The Eucharistic Prayer And Communion Justin’s account continues with the presentation of bread, wine, and water, followed by a Eucharistic Prayer during which the president offers thanks ‘to the best of his ability’, and the people respond with ‘Amen.’ This prayer is the epicentre of the liturgy, paralleling the Canon of the Mass. The Eucharist is then distributed to those present, and deacons carry it to those absent—perhaps the sick or imprisoned. This detail reveals the strong pastoral and communal dimension of the Eucharist. It is not a private devotion but a gift of Christ shared with the whole body, particularly the vulnerable. Charity And Ecclesial Responsibility The offering of gifts by the wealthy, administered by the president and used for the support of the poor, widows, orphans, and the imprisoned, reflects how closely the Eucharist was tied to practical charity. The Eucharist made real the communion of the faithful with Christ and with one another. It was not only a mystical participation in Christ’s body but also a lived expression of solidarity and sacrificial love. This aspect finds resonance in Acts 2:42–47 and remains central to Catholic social teaching. Apostolic Tradition In Action Justin’s testimony, written a mere century after the Resurrection, powerfully confirms that the early Church’s Eucharistic worship—centred on the Word, Sacrament, community, and charity—was already well-developed and firmly grounded in apostolic tradition. His witness is critical not only for understanding the historical roots of the Mass but also for deepening modern appreciation of the Eucharist’s enduring meaning. In our own time, when the mystery of the Eucharist is often misunderstood, taken for granted, or even rejected, Justin’s words remind us that the Church has always confessed the true and substantial presence of Christ in the Eucharist. His account also reinforces the communal, sacrificial, and transformative nature of this sacrament, which, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, is the ‘source and summit of the Christian life’ (CCC 1324). A Reading From The First Apology Of Saint Justin Martyr In Defence Of The Christians | Celebration Of The Eucharist No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true, unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ. We do not consume the eucharistic bread and wine as […]
Yesterday, we heard in the Gospel of Jesus’ most merciful response to the woman who came to him begging forgiveness for her sins. Today we learn more about Jesus’ relationships with women. Given the understandings of the time, this Gospel account of the women in Jesus’ life is surprising and also inspiring. Luke’s Gospel has been considered the Gospel of women. In these Bible verses, we find the women who followed Jesus, as disciples, to be accounted as equivalent to the men [ … ]
