28-Jun-16

Gospel MT 8:23-27
As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by waves;
but he was asleep.
They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.
The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”
Reflection:
"Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by waves..."
When the seas of life are calm, our thoughts tend to be centered on our everyday needs and desires: Which kid am I going to get to mow the lawn? What am I going to do this weekend?
But, the "violent storms" of life often do come upon us suddenly: an unexpected death of someone we love, news of a devastating illness, loss of our job.
When the storm hits, our first reaction may be fear and a sense of being overwhelmed.
Like the disciples in the boat, we cry out, "Lord, save us!"
My faith grows based on the many times that Jesus has rescued me from the storms of life.
Now, when I see dark clouds on the horizon, I don't wait for the wind to rise. I immediately whisper a quiet prayer, "Oh Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in you."
It is then that I sense the "great calm" that the disciples experienced when Jesus quieted the sea.
And, in my heart I know “What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”
"To trust God in the light is nothing, but trust Him
in the dark - that is faith." - C.H. Spurgeon