Full of alarm and sickening fear, the disciples discover Jesus sleeping and shout above the noise of the wind and storm: “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
What drove them to Jesus? What made them even think of him in such circumstances? Why did they turn to him? Spend a little time now thinking of this.
At times, our lives can get rough for various reasons. When hurricanes sweep through our lives, Jesus may seem indifferent to our troubles, asleep at the helm, or absent. Many who lose their jobs, their health, and their friends may feel that Jesus deliberately ignores their fate and shows no concern for them. Think of those people ravaged by wars and starvation at this very time. Fear can lead to despair and feelings that God does not care. St. Ignatius
taught us to name these times ‘natural desolation’, which could, if not checked, sometimes lead to profound ‘spiritual desolation.’
St. Paul himself endured literal storms at sea that resulted in at least four shipwrecks. When faced with persecution’s deadly peril, he knew what it was like to feel unbearably crushed and despairing of life itself. He confesses: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but
not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor 4:8–9).
How are you inclined to interpret the storms of your life?
How about when storms strike at the heart of the nation (natural disasters), international wars or even worldwide ‘storms’ like COVID-19?
Do you sometimes feel abandoned by God?
Can you readily turn to Jesus and cry out for help?
Reflections by Reggie Venter
