Lord, increase my faith.
What does today’s Gospel passage tell us? What important thoughts accompany it?
The first thing that catches our eye; Jesus says to his disciples: Let us cross to the other side. Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. They left the crowds. This is an issue worth emphasizing. After all, they could be among the crowds. It seems like such a good solution. After all, the crowds are happy with the presence of Jesus, they want to listen to Him, they bring their sick, etc. And what will be waiting for them on the other side of the lake? Nobody knows. But there may be less favorable people. But Jesus says: Let us go to the other side.
This is a call for us. Get out of the patterns ... Move. Leave a safe hiding place. Give up the "circle of mutual adoration". Later Jesus will say to his disciples: Go into the whole world. Go. He will not say: sit in your place, in your communities and enjoy your presence. OKAY. This is also important. It is important to have your own place for growth, formation. It is important to have a place to come back to. But it is not just that. You cannot stand with the conviction that I feel so good. Why change something? Jesus says: Let us go to the other side. Let us leave this crowd. And let us go further. Other people also need to hear the Good News.
And it is not about leaving the crowd alone. It would be irresponsible. But it is even more irresponsible to make people dependent on us. In this way, many communities fell apart. Because the moderator priest left. Because the animator got married and took care of family responsibilities. Do we know it? I think so. That is why you have to be convinced that I am only sowing the seed ... And someone else will harvest. And it is not that everything revolves around me. I am supposed to show the crowd Someone Else. And it is to him that I am to lead the crowd.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. A violent wind A storm on the lake. It is actually everyday life for people who are fishermen or sailors. But it is also a powerful event. I think that people who sail (or are interested in this subject) are familiar with the concept of white squall. It is a sudden and gusty wind. The squall comes from the blue sky and is sudden for the observer. The only sign of a storm are water droplets suspended in the air and breaking waves visible as a whitish slime. But let us look at it from the spiritual side. Isn't in our life similar? Are we experiencing sudden, unexpected storms? Everything seems OK. Our life, relationships, professional matters etc. are going well. Suddenly, the crisis comes unexpectedly. Nothing, really nothing foreshadows a crisis or falls and sins. After all, when we sin, no warning message is displayed to us. Only then, after some time a storm comes. And we have the impression that the boat of our life is about to sink.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? Exactly. It is a familiar picture for me. The disciples are aware that Jesus is with them and he will certainly not let them die, but the fear of the storm on the lake is so great that it takes over. And they awake Jesus. Not only that! They reproach him: You do not care that we are dying? Jesus has the power. He has the power to protect each of us from every storm. Maybe it seems to us that when we recognize Him as our Savior and Lord, He will "magically" make us feel good, nice, comfortable and in general 100% idyllic. It does not work like that. There will be storms, but they will not hurt us, because Jesus is with us. Even big problems will not break us, suffering will not completely put us to the ground. Although all this will still be becausewe are sinful. And we must all convert. We must all turn to Jesus.
But what is it really like in our lives? Do we really have such confidence that He cares? He is with us? Or maybe, like the disciples. We say to ourselves: He must be sleeping. He does not hear our cry. He does not see our struggles with suffering, with injustice, with our own sins, etc. He sleeps! That is why we need to wake Him up. And we cry out in our prayers, which are full of resentment. Lord, don't you care about my life? Do you see what it looks like? Regret and resentment. And where is devotion to God, glory to Him . Where is praise? Where is the thanksgiving? Still only a demanding attitude. Is this how your life is? Is this your prayer?
He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith? He got up, ordered and there was silence. Briefly and to the point. Jesus can do this in your life. But you have to believe, believe that He can do it. In this passage he asks the disciples: Why do they lack faith, why are they fearful. But I am with you? So, what are you afraid of? Don't you believe that I can do everything? That you are safe with me?
Do you believe that you are safe with Jesus? That you will survive every spiritual storm? And if you still lack such faith, then pray "Lord, increase my faith, Lord, increase my faith". And pray now for faith. So that later, in the situation of a great crisis, you would not have to cry full of despair: Lord, save ... Do you care about my life?
Until Tomorrow
fr. george