A homily on Mark 4:35–41 : A reverential fear (31-1-26)

A  lovely homily on Mark 4:35–41, exploring the disciples’ fear after the storm and recognising God’s presence in everyday life. (31-1-26)

Praise be to Jesus Christ 

Early one morning in a monastery, a young brother went to the chapel, thinking he was alone. It was still dark and very quiet. He sat down and let his thoughts wander. After a while, he noticed a figure near the altar. It was the elder of the community, sitting very still in prayer. The elder did not say anything and did not even look at him, yet something changed within the younger brother: he sat up straight, his mind grew quiet, and his heart became alert. It was not fear of being corrected, but the sudden awareness that he was in a holy presence. Nothing outward had changed, yet inwardly everything was different. He could no longer sit casually as he had before. This fear is called reverential fear.

In today’s Gospel, we see a similar incident. There was a horrible storm, the boat was filling with water, and the disciples were very much afraid, even thinking they would die. However, Jesus calmed the situation (Mark 4:39). We expect relief, joy, and gratitude. Instead, the Gospel says, “They were filled with great fear” (Mark 4:41). This fear is not the fear of danger. It is the fear of standing close to God and recognising His power and presence.

The disciples had been walking with Jesus, talking to Him, even arguing at times, but they had not fully understood who He was. Now, after the storm, they saw Him differently. They saw that God had been with them all along, and their hearts were moved. They asked one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41). This is the kind of fear that opens the heart to awe, reverence, and wonder.

In the Old Testament, the sea belongs only to God. God asks Job, “Who shut in the sea with doors?” (Job 38:8), and the Psalmist says, “He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed” (Psalm 107:29). When Jesus calms the storm, He shows the disciple, and us, that God is present and in control. Moses felt it at the burning bush (Exodus 3:5), Peter felt it after the great catch of fish (Luke 5:8), and Saint Isaac of Nineveh reminds us, “The fear of God is the beginning of love.” When God draws near, the heart becomes careful.

This is a holy fear. It is the fear that comes when God draws close and we see ourselves clearly. Our weak faith, our desire to control, and our comfort with shallow belief all come to the surface. Saint Peter felt the same fear when Jesus filled his nets with fish. He fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Leave me, Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). God’s power did not push him away, but it exposed his heart.

The problem today is that we often do not have this reverential fear. Sometimes during Mass, a phone rings, and without any hesitation, people speak, even ignoring the greatness of the moment. At home, we may rush through family prayers, scroll through messages, or get distracted by social media, forgetting that God is present even in these ordinary moments. We treat God’s presence casually and overlook His quiet call. Reverential fear reminds us to pay attention, to be quiet in our hearts, and to respond with care, respect, and love. As Saint Augustine says, “God is more deeply hidden in what is most ordinary.”

The disciples’ fear is the beginning of real faith. It is the moment they stop treating Jesus as a solution and begin recognising Him as Lord. The Gospel today invites us not only to ask for calm seas, but to accept what comes after calm: God’s presence, God’s call, and God’s quiet demand for deeper trust.

Lord Jesus, give me a reverential fear . Amen.