The Wind; O' how ominous it blows as we consider the Passion of Christ!

The Wind; O’ how ominous it blows as we consider the Passion of Christ!

On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, “Let us cross to the other side.”  Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was.  And the 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, “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?”   (Mk 4: 35 - 40).

There he came to a cave, where he took shelter.  But the word of the Lord came to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?”  He answered: “I have been most zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts, but the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to the sword.  I alone am left, and they seek my life.”  Then the Lord said, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord; the Lord will be passing by.”  A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord - but the Lord was not in the wind.  After the wind there was an earthquake - but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  After the earthquake there was fire - but the Lord was not in the fire.  After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.  When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.  A voice said to him, “Elijah, why are you here?”  He replied, “I have been most zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts.  (1 Kgs 19: 9 - 14). 

When it was important to the disciples and Elijah, the Lord, God, was there to alleviate their fears and produce through his voice that comforts them in their most frightening moments.  The intensity of wind in both cases was not the presence of God’s majesty; it was through a gentle sign of power that directed his mystery to take hold of our concerns as we ponder the very days of Lent and find assurance through the silence of faith that we find in Christ during his Passion.

A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him.  Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, “blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.  At that time people will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”  (Lk 23: 27 - 30).

Lent reminds us that the sign of fearfulness is found only when our faith has questioned our own salvation.  The peace that Christ took with him to the cross is our assurance that he is with us even when he  paid the ransom that would free our lonely hearts and place his gentle touch of freedom from fear of the wind.

Ralph B. Hathaway