One of the Gospel moments that shows us how Jesus conquers the fear of the Apostles is the calming of the storm on the Sea of Galilee. The Apostles were terrified as the waves threatened to sink their boat. They were even frightened at the sight of Jesus, because they thought he was a ghost. Jesus said, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were completely astounded (cf. Mark 6:50-51).
A Personal Encounter on the Sea
The Sea of Galilee is not much more than a lake, and most of the time it is quite calm; but not always! Two years ago, when my wife Mary Jane and I were leading a Holy Land pilgrimage, we had an opportunity to take a ride across the Sea of Galilee on a 70-foot pilgrim boat. When we started, the waters were very calm, but by the time we got to the other shore, an hour later, the Sea was so rough that it took the experienced crew five efforts to dock the boat. This wasn’t even a real storm, but it gave us an idea of how dangerous the Sea can become, and certainly it made me think of this Gospel.
For most of us, the dangers and turmoils of life are not going to take place on the Sea, but the solution will be the same for us as the Apostles; the calming effect of the presence of Jesus. There are many places in the Scriptures where Jesus assures us that if we call out to him, he will come to us. He will always keep his promise, but the effect of his presence may vary depending upon the maturity of our own faith.
Choices that Deepen Faith
Faith is a gift from God, but believing is a choice. A great deal of what we believe at this moment depends upon the choices we have made during the course of our life. The following are some choices that will influence our faith: praying daily, reading the Scriptures daily, continuing to learn more about our faith, having a desire to discover and do the will of God, frequenting the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist, and through active participation in a faith community—living and sharing our faith.
I suppose that most of us know that doing these things will help us to deepen our faith, but we can also be tempted to think that if we do these things, God will give us special treatment. Doing these things will not guarantee that life will be easy for us; we know about the sufferings of the Apostles and saints through the ages. However, they will help us to develop a trust in God that will bring us great peace, calm, and direction when life challenges us.
A Testimony of Hope
A few years ago, I read a book entitled Testimony of Hope by Vietnamese Archbishop Francis-Xavier Nguyễn Văn Thuận, whom Pope St. John Paul II chose to be Preacher to the Papal Household during the Jubilee Year 2000. The Archbishop had been a prisoner in various Communist prisons for thirteen years. At the beginning of his imprisonment, he was very angry because of the injustice he experienced. After a while, he realized that his anger was only making him more miserable, so he had to make a decision; he could continue to dwell on the injustice, or he could make the most of his situation. He decided to collect pieces of paper and write down all the Scriptures and prayers he could remember. These became a great treasure for him. He would also collect drops of grape juice and breadcrumbs, and would secretly say Mass at night with other prisoners gathered around. His presence in that prison and his faith brought hope to a hopeless situation.
The Gospel invites us to look at the things that overwhelm us, the injustices we experience, the things that make our lives difficult, and then to remember the words of Jesus; “Quiet! Be still!” He will calm that anxiety if we keep focused on him and not on the things over which we have no control.
Originally written by Pilgrim Center of Hope for Today's Catholic newspaper.
Deacon Tom Fox, K.C.H.S., and Mary Jane Fox, D.C.H.S. are the Co-Founders & Co-Directors of Pilgrim Center of Hope. The two left their careers after a profound conversion experience and began working full-time in ministry at their parish in 1986. After several years and having impacted tens of thousands of families, the Foxes founded Pilgrim Center of Hope in 1993 as a response to the Church’s call for a New Evangelization. Deacon Tom is an invested member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a Commander Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.
Pilgrim Center of Hope provides events, experiences, and media; initiating a desire in people to encounter Jesus Christ in their daily journey of life. See what’s happening & let us journey with you! Visit PilgrimCenterOfHope.org.
