Saturday - Second Week of Easter 

Gospel – John 6:16-21

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

Sea of Galilee

I have been on a cruise only once in my life and that one time was more than enough!  Now I cannot complain about the endless supply of food and drink; that was amazing.  But there was one night when we got slammed by a storm and it was not pleasant.  I can remember trying to walk down the main aisle, lurching back and forth as the ship swayed up and down, left and right, and I tried to stay upright.  I remember very clearly that every single handrail on the ship was covered with small white paper bags for “emergencies.”  Not a pleasant thought!  It was, at times, terrifying and humbling, having no control over the situation.

The Apostles in today’s Gospel have a similar experience.  They are seasoned fishermen and they know the risks and the dangers.  And yet they are terrified!  Weary after rowing 3 or 4 miles, buffeted with wind and waves, and then here comes Jesus walking on the water!  It’s no wonder they were afraid. 

We have all had our share of storms in life, many of them seemingly unbearable and crushing.  Some were physical hurts; most were mental – depression, stress, worry, uncertainty, even hopelessness and despair!   There were/are times when we felt completely alone and abandoned, unsure of what the future, much less the present day, holds in store for us.

But take heart and really listen to today’s Gospel; it provides us calm in the midst of the storm.  Consider this – when the Apostles saw Jesus, their very first thought was to bring Him into the boat with them.  All they wanted was for Jesus to be close to them and then they knew they would be safe.  And Jesus’ first words to them?  Do not be afraid! 

A good lesson for us all!  When times get difficult, don’t be afraid to call out to Jesus, to ask Him to draw close to you and protect you.  He is closer than you think!  And He truly does bring peace to fearful hearts!

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