Sunday, June 23, 2024

In our Gospel reading this weekend, Jesus is asleep in a boat when a storm comes up, scaring the disciples.  They wake Jesus up, saying to Him: do you not care that we are perishing?  Jesus replies, why are you terrified?  Do you not yet have faith?
 
A first thought that came to me when I read this was how lucky the disciples were that they had Jesus in the boat with them.  I was a little envious that they were so blessed!  But, as I reflected on the Gospel, I came to realize that I don’t need to be envious: Jesus is in the boat with me!  Didn’t He say to His disciples, including us, “I am with you until the end of the age”?
 
When the winds of life come up and the waves go wild around us, it is easy to forget that Jesus is with us.  Our feelings of fear and insecurity overwhelm our reason and our faith.  But when we stop and breathe, when we remember the promise of Jesus, we can be assured that Jesus is in the boat with us: all we have to do is cry out to Him and He will comfort us.
 
Many years ago, my mother modeled for me exactly how faith and trust in Jesus can calm the storm.  From her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer on December 31st until her death on June 19th, she allowed her faith and trust in Jesus to calm her.  She told me that, when feelings of anxiety and fear started to take over, she would remember that Jesus was in the boat with her and that would calm her down; her death was very peaceful.
 
My friends, Jesus is in the boat of life with us.  When winds come up and the waves go wild, He wants us to cry out to Him and He will answer.  Our difficulties will not magically disappear, but we will be able to pray the mantra of St. Julian of Norwich with confidence: All will be well.  All will be well.  All manner of things shall be well.  We are truly blessed!
 
Church sign of the week: As long as you remember that God is for you, it doesn’t matter who is against you.