I am sure storms are an experience familiar to all of us. Some storms are, of course, much more threatening than others. And some people are more affected than others even by the possibility of thunder and lightning. For some, any thunder and lightning is traumatic.

     Since the disciples were fishermen, I gather they had been on the lake in bad weather before. Jesus himself must not have been too fearful since he had fallen asleep. But when the wind and waves breaking over the boat cause the disciples to panic and turn to Jesus for help. Don’t you care? Doesn’t this bother you? Aren’t you afraid? Don’t you see we are in danger?

     At times, does it not take something beyond our control for us to turn to Jesus? In a sense, if something threatening makes us turn to God – something good might come of it!

     It could be the threat of surgery, accident or illness – the threat of losing one’s security, the ability to take care of a family, being unable to pay the bills due to the loss of employment or that rising costs like waves make us fear we won’t be able to stay afloat.

     There are, of course, many other storms in our lives – the deterioration of a marriage, the breaking up of a family, misunderstandings that cause family members or friends to become alienated even unforgiving.

     Spiritual storms assail our minds and hearts – loss of inner peace, doubts, disillusionment due to scandal, betrayal, malicious gossip. Other spiritual storms caused by our involvement in something we know is wrong, something we once thought was so despicable and we have done it – wondering what ever brought us to act against our values, our conscience.

     Let us hope that even the worst storm is not a cause for despair, but with the example of the disciples in today’s Gospel – a reminder that we do have someone to turn to, someone with power when we have become powerless.

     Using the question from the Gospel, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?” Jesus. May we never fail to turn to Him.

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