Reading: Mark 4: 35-41
A storm, and a boat, and a powerful message on how to get to the other side. In this case the other side was a land of gentiles, a land full of different people and customs and beliefs. Jesus stilled the storm, and allowed the other side to be safely reached.

As many of you know my Aunty Gwen died last week. She wasn`t really my Aunty but my mother`s oldest friend, their friendship dating back to when they were 11 years old. As two families we shared many happy times together. But my Aunty Gwen was not an easy person; she smoked and drank heavily, particularly towards the end, and like many of her vintage, held reasonably bigoted views about anyone who was not Caucasian. Over 20 years ago she lost my uncle, a gorgeous, gentle man who was her rock in life, and a storm of depression and anxiety hit her and remained with her for a number of years.

This storm was stilled by something that came quite unexpectedly for someone in their 60s. She began to work for the community newspapers. Now in itself it gave her purpose and a bit of money, but what it also gave her was community. And surprisingly not a community that was white and middle class, but one that was mostly Asian and poor. These people she organised and looked after, looked after her, and gave her an insight into what love was all about. Not love just for family or grandchildren, but love for one another, regardless of colour, religion or economic status. One family in particular, the Dats, from Vietnam, became very close, partly because it seemed the whole family was delivering the newspaper but also because Gwen gave their 14 year old son his first job. He became someone whom she encouraged, listened to and whom she talked about with pride, as though he was part of her own family.

At her funeral on Tuesday, the Dats were there to show their love and respect for this woman, even though for the last few years she probably could not remember who they were. The son, who is now grown up and married, was there with his wife and with his mother and father, supporting our families in our time of loss.

The Dats represent what we find in today`s reading from Mark. They represent a universal love that can still any storm, a love between people that can transcend barriers. Jesus knew this, and we and our society need to discover it, just as Gwen did. We have to have the courage to see that the other side may not be as frightening as it seems and be willing to cross the sea using Jesus as our guide. What we find on the other side may be a revelation.