Weathering Storms

WEATHERING STORMS

Mt. 14:22-33

Most of us have never been caught in a storm at sea and in all probability never will be.  And I am certain that we will never see a man walking on water!  So, in a literal sense, we cannot relate to the experience of the Apostles in today's Gospel.  But in a figurative sense we have all experienced storms to varying degrees.

Almost everyone knows what it is to have a tranquil life interrupted by an unexpected crisis.  It may begin with a partner saying, 'I don't love you anymore and I'm leaving.'  Or it might be your doctor saying, 'We need to talk - the tests don't look good.'  Or it could be your employer saying, 'This company doesn't need your services anymore.'

In this world the possibilities of a storm of one kind or another disrupting a tranquil life are almost unlimited.  If we are going to make a successful voyage across the unpredictable sea of life, we need to know how to weather them.  

Firstly, we have to recognise that storms are nothing new.  We are living in turbulent times but this could be said about almost any period in history.  How often has there been war, or famine, or plague, or drought, or flood?

That actual storm that hit the Apostles on the Sea of Galilee was not an isolated instance.  They may have been surprised by it, but not in the sense that it had never happened before.   Sudden storms had been raging across that sea for centuries - and they still do today.

And so it is with our lives here and now.  When we get caught in a storm, it doesn't necessarily mean that we are off course.  Nor does it mean that God has forgotten us or singled us out for punishment.  The only thing we can say with certainty about storms is that they are part of life, even for the finest and most devout people on Earth.

One of the things we should not overlook in our reading is that Jesus was the one who sent His Apostles out in that boat.  They were following His instructions when they became caught in that storm.  That should tell us that being a follower of Christ, leading a good life and doing the will of God, does not give us immunity from trouble.  Sometimes the exact opposite is true.  Jesus followed the will of His Father with His whole heart - and look what happened to Him!

If dedicated Christians never became sick nor had accidents, never lost their jobs nor had trouble with their marriages, or felt depressed, then following Christ would not be an act of devotion.  It would be a business transaction, the pursuit of self-interest, an insurance policy against calamity.  As long as we live in this world, we are going to encounter unexpected turbulence.  Knowing this helps to prepare us to weather the storms that come our way.

We also need to know that Christ has not forgotten us and He will be there in time of need.  In our Gospel reading, He was not with His Apostles when the storm broke.  They may have felt forsaken, perhaps a little betrayed since Jesus was the one who sent them out.  But in the the storm of sorrow comes, He will be there with words of comfort.  When the storm of temptation comes, He will be there with words of strength.  When the storm of guilt comes, He will be there with words of forgiveness.  When the storm of discouragement comes, He will be there with words of hope.  In the midst of all of life's storms, if we look for Jesus, we will see Him; if we listen, we will hear Him say, "Courage!  It is I!  Do not be afraid."

I love that story of a village that was being flooded when the walls of a dam next to the village broke.  It was declared a national disaster.  Every available help was sent in.  The priest of the village was an obstinate man.  He stayed in his house and nothing would move him.  As the flood rose, He sought refuge on the roof of his house.  A man in a rowing boat pleaded with him to come into his boat for safety.  He told him to help another person who may be in need.  The waters rose higher, and he now sought refuge on the roof of his Church.  A man in a motor boat told him to jump in.  "Don't worry," was his reply, "God will look after me."  Finally, a rescue helicopter came, but still he was adamant and would not take their help.  Finally, the waters rose so high and the priest drowned.  When he met God, He complained, "I thought you promised that you would never let your children down.  Why did you allow me to drown?"  God replied, "My son, I sent you a rowing boat, a motor boat and a rescue helicopter and you turned them all down.  What more could I do?"  It is true, God will never desert us.  In the midst of every storm, His presence in always there and He will enable us to weather it.

Lord Jesus, so often we are like the Apostles in that we do not recognise You when You come.  They thought You were a ghost.  Our problem is that You come in such simple ways that sometimes we don't see You – in the support of family and friends, the loving counsel of a teacher, the sacraments of the Church - when we need You most.

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