Trusting in Christ

Sometimes we are so lost, lonely and afraid. Like the disciples in the Gospel of Mark, we’re on a boat in the middle of the sea, and we feel like we’re about to drown. As the storm passes over, we have little to no control over which direction we are heading. The fierce gusts of wind and waves cause water to break over into the boat so much that it starts to sink. Are we ever going to make it through?

We hopefully remember who’s in the boat with us… Jesus. He’s here, constantly working in and through our lives; but does this mean we can always feel it? The apostles were tossed by these waves, nearly drowning, and Jesus appeared to be fast asleep! He seemed so at peace and unalarmed as they tossed and turned amidst the waves. He must know our situation, right? Why doesn’t He help? We finally call out to Him in desperation, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he responds, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten so tangled in stress and anxiety, and really saw no way to get out. I asked for the Lord’s help and didn’t seem to get much of an answer, and I was so beat up by the surrounding waves that I felt I couldn’t go much further. But with the help of a dear priest, I realized that Jesus was laying there in my boat. And like the disciples, I was too foolish to realize that He won’t let us sink so long as He is aboard.

Now comes the most difficult task imaginable… trusting in Him wholeheartedly! Like in the Gospel of Matthew, God calls us out on the waves. Much like Peter we start out with our eyes focused on Christ, but soon we notice the world around us. There’s so much going on, and the wind and waves stand over us as if we were looking into a hurricane. We lose focus on Christ and begin to fear the beast in front of us. The feeling of helplessness takes over and we start to sink. We call out once again “Lord, save me!”, and just as He rescues Peter, Jesus extends His hand and saves us.

I hope this newest rant, which has been brewing in my head all weekend, triggers one simple point as you read this… We must trust in the Lord in all things, and at all times! Only then can we truly rest with Him in the boat. “You of little faith,” He says, “Why did you doubt?” It’s really easy to get caught up in the day-to-day mess that we inevitably find ourselves in. But so long as we keep our eyes fixed intently on Christ, we will make it through; for with God, ALL THINGS are possible!

I wanted to touch a little on all my references…

If you were wondering, ‘What does the boat represent?’, I want to forward you on to my best friend’s blog, www.themanoffshore.blogspot.com . Read about it!

And the two bible passages I referenced were:

The time Jesus walked on water… Matthew 14:22-23
The time Jesus calmed the water… Mark 4:37-41

Fullfilment

What do we truly desire for ourselves in life? Is it to be loved? Is it to feel at peace? To be in ecstasy or a state of total happiness? Where does this desire come from?
To answer these questions, we must understand who it is that put these desires in our hearts... the One who knows us inside and out; who created us and watches over our every breath. We, who are made in the image and likeness of God, have in us, in the depths of our heart, God's heart. We may not even realize it, or even understand. But He, in his infinite goodness, has made us in a unique and precious way; to be in His image and likeness is to say that He is very much a part of us.
Our heart is constantly yearning for something; and our mind tirelessly searches to quench that need, but our mind is very much influenced by the world. It tries to rationalize our feelings in a way that is easily comprehensible. And once our feelings are quenched, we can function more effectively. But the problem is our mind will try so hard and speak so loudly that we often drown out the source.
Our feelings and yearnings aren't easily comforted, and require something the world cannot give us. Why? It is because of the One who put those feelings inside of us. In the image and likeness of God, we find that we aren't God, but with Him we are fulfilled. He created us in our weaknesses for a reason; He very much wants to be a part of our lives. He gave us this burning desire that can only be quenched in Him.
He very much desires to give us this happiness, and provides many opportunities for us to find it; but He also wished for us to choose it freely. He implanted His love in each of us, and mysteriously waits for us to respond to it. This response is known as prayer... A conversation between us and our Maker.
"Saint Augustine, in a homily on the First Letter of John, describes very beautifully the intimate relationship between prayer and hope. He defines prayer as an exercise of desire... And if the object of one's desire is a relationship with God, his blessing and love, then the struggle cannot fail but ends in that self-giving to God, in recognition of one's own weakness, which is overcome only by giving oneself over into God's merciful hands... We would not be able to pray were the desire for God, for being children of God, not engraved in the depths of our heart." -Pope Benedict XVI
What God challenges us to do today is to take a moment and stop. Pause your life, just for a moment, and quiet your mind. It is in the silence of your mind that your heart speaks freely. Let your heart's emotions pour out, and let the Lord comfort you. Only then can you truly feel at peace. "Each one of us needs time and space for recollection, mediation and calmness. ... Thanks be to God that this is so! In fact, this need tells us that we are not made for work alone, but also to think, to reflect or even simply to follow with our minds and our hearts a tale, a story in which to immerse ourselves, in a certain sense 'to lose ourselves' to find ourselves subsequently enriched." -Pope Benedict XVI
"I will ask my Lord for what I want and desire," St. Ignatius of Loyola. Because it is only in Him that our desires are truly quenched. May God bless you

God's Love

Our Lord loves us so much. He created us uniquely and in His own image, and cherishes us as his adopted children. If He didn't, then why would He go through the trouble of making us, or continue to allow us to exist? His love is so great, and He has thought of everything we need. He reaches out His hand, gives us his only son, pours out all of His abundant mercies, and grants all we ask of Him. He calls us by name, and He waits so patiently for us to respond.
"God calls man first. Man may forget his Creator or hide far from his face; he may run after idols or accuse the deity of having abandoned him; yet the living and true God tirelessly calls each person to that mysterious encounter known as prayer. In prayer... God's initiative of love always comes first; our own first step is always a response." CCC 2567