June 20. Sunday 12B.   Fathers’ Day.  Lord of the storm.  Fr Brian posed a question. “What can we learn from Jesus and his ability to calm the storm?   As fathers and children we do experience real stormy times by way of natural disasters, and  sometimes we are together, and may all be afraid, but children trust an depend on their dads for security.  Sometimes children and fathers are far apart in their relationship when any kind of storm comes and they feel alone in anger and fear.  In 2020 when the first wave of Covid-19 hit the world there was great fear everywhere. Pope Francis reminded us that Jesus was in the boat with us and would not abandon us. How are we weathering that storm now, as the virus still continues to attack us in waves. We may have become complacent but those who have been directly affected know the depth of fear and anxiety.  Does God still play a role as an important father figure in whom we can trust?  What kind of father figure can St Joseph be for us and our children?  

A great storm of wind arose and the waves beat in to the boat. But Jesus was asleep in the stern on the cushion. And they woke him and said, “Teacher do you not care if we perish?” Jesus awoke up and rebuked the wind and the sea and the wind dropped.  He said to them, “why are you afraid?” Have you no faith?” Mark 4:35-41.  Pope Francis:  A father can be close to his children as they grow – when they play and when they work, are carefree or distressed, when they are daring or afraid, when they stray and when they get back on the right path. AL 177.  St Joseph saw Jesus grow daily “in wisdom and in years and in divine and human favour.” (Lk 2:52). As the Lord had done with Israel, so Joseph did with Jesus: he taught him to walk, taking him by the hand; he was for him like a father who raises an infant to his cheeks, bending down to him and feeding him (cf. Hos 11:3-4). In Joseph, Jesus saw the tender love of God: “As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him” (Ps 103:13) PC2