"He commanded the wind and the sea and all was calm again"

Matthew 8:23 - 27

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.

A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.

And they went and woke him up, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"

And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm.

They were amazed, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"

 

Possible Journal Questions

  1. Think of a time when you really experienced fear. What was it that made you afraid?
  2. Reflect on the effect that fear can have on people's lives. Is it always negative? How can people turn it into something positive?
  3. What role can faith play when we are afraid? What is this Gospel Passage telling us about the role of faith in our lives?
  4. List down the type of people in our society who live on a 'rough ocean' and who experience it each day of their lives.
  5. In our world everybody places their trust or faith in something. What do people place their faith in your country/town? Are all these things positive?
  6. This Gospel story teaches us something about Jesus. What do you think it is saying?
  7. Write a prayer to Jesus, asking Him for the gift of faith.

 

Possible Activity

  1. Role Play a modern day situation which shows the plight of two types of characters. One group places their faith in something positive. The other places it in something negative.