12th Sunday – Ordinary time, God as the protector
Amazing Grace
John Newton was the son of an English sea Captain. When John was ten, his mother died and he went to the sea with his father. The boy learnt the sea backward and forward. At 17 he rebelled against his father, left the ship and began living a wild and loose life. Eventually John took a job on a cargo ship that carried slaves from Africa to America. He was promoted rapidly and soon became captain of the ship. Newton never worried about whether the slave trade was right or wrong. He just did it because he wanted to make money. Then something happened to change all that.
One night a violent storm blew up at Sea. The waves grew to the size of mountains. They picked up Newton’s ship and threw it around like a toy. Everyone on board was filled with panic. Then Newton did something he had not done since leaving his father’s ship. He prayed shouting at the top of his voice he said “God if you will only save us I promise to be your slave forever”. God heard his prayer and the violent storm stopped and the ship survived.
When Newton reached land, he kept his promise and quit the slave trade. Later he studied for the ministry and was ordained pastor of a small church in Olney, England. There he won fame as a preacher and a composer of hymns. One of the most moving hymns Newton wrote is the one that praises God for his conversion. The Words read “Amazing grace how sweet the sound”
The Story of John Newton bears a striking resemblance to today’s gospel Like Newton the apostles cried out “save us lord”. God becomes the protector.
1. In the first reading this theme of Divine power is manifested from the book of Job. God speaks to Job out of storm and communicated that God has the power to still the storms of life. This book raises several questions concerning the problem of evil in the world. We are often concerned of the suffering of the innocent in the world. Job, the innocent person, suffers and is accused of guilt by his “friends,” and yet remains content with his total trust in God. God proclaims His superiority over the seas and all powers and the final victory is His. Then Job has no reason whatsoever to experience doubts. At the same time God indicated to Job that He is in full control of creation. He explains to him of the origin of the earth, the seas and the light. He tells him of his sovereignty and Job has no doubts. He tells him of the nature and Consequently, God reveals Himself to Job and Job to himself.” As human beings it is as it is to make false assumptions. We easily judge God as we frequently tend to judge others human persons, without knowing all the particulars of a situation. Man’s faith should be in God, the Divine Providence that never fails. Realizing the Lord’s power we like Job can return to a deeper faith and a sense of our own humble role in the course. God protected him from his suffering.
2. In today’s Second Reading taken from the Second Letter to the Corinthians we are called to live for Christ who died for us. There is no greater love than the love of one who dies for someone else. Jesus himself tells us of such love in his Final Discourse as given in the Gospel of John Chapter 15. The love of Christ is shown above all to us that He died for us. Christ made the ultimate sacrifice, giving His precious life for each and every one of us so that we may live. Paul was deeply moved by this love of Christ. This special love kept Paul from living for himself. It led him to do great things for Christ and His people. Here we may ask what “the love of Christ?” is. Is it the love Christ has for us or the love that we have for Him? That answer is found in the actions of Saint Paul. The love that Jesus had for Paul is what made the apostle serve such tireless and unselfish way. The only reason that we love Jesus is that He first loved us. It is the love of Christ that moves us to keep going in the service of God. Christ does not love us just for the sake of loving us. He suffered and died for us because we are his own, made in his own image and likeness.
3. Let us also turn to a third point. Let us see how the storm at sea contains a beautiful and practical message for families on this father’s day. When john Newton left his father’s ship his father was heartsick. We can imagine his father standing on the deck that night praying to God in words like this.
“Lord why did this have to happen? Why does not John see that I love him? Why can’t he see that you love him, Lord even though he has gone away from us protect him”.
Jesus became a protector and supporter of the situations and storm and difficulties.
