Our financial situation did not allow for a big family vacation this summer, but we did manage a quick two-day getaway with the kids the week before school started. It was a great trip but as we approached the second day, we realized that we were not ready for it to end. So, knowing that we only had a four-hour drive home, we decided to take our time and enjoy the day. Once we agreed that we had done all that we had set out to do, we ate dinner, fueled up the minivan and pulled onto the highway just as the sun was beginning to set.
As the sky darkened, it did not take long for the kids to fall asleep, which meant the rare occasion of quiet time on a family vacation. The surrounding landscape was shielded by the darkness and the only thing I could see were the headlights of the approaching cars on the other side of the highway. After we had been on the road for a while, I noticed lightning strikes off in the distance. My wife quickly checked the radar on her phone to see if we were going to encounter severe weather on the drive home. The radar showed storms to the south of us and storms to the east, our driving direction, but somehow, we had ended up in a pocket of dry air.
The quietness of the van and the darkness of the night sky provided a perfect opportunity for reflection. I started to think about the fun that we had on our trip and how much I look forward to our family vacations. Spending time with my wife and kids is like heaven to me so it does not matter where our travels take us, my favorite part of any vacation is that we are all together as a family. I then started to think about how summer was over and how I wished we had more time. As often happens during times of reflection, my mind eventually turned to practical things, and I thought about the problems that were waiting for us when we returned home.
Around that time, I noticed that the frequency of lightning strikes was increasing until they eventually filled the entire sky. The storms were becoming more intense and what resulted was a lightning show that rivaled a Fourth of July fireworks display. I had never seen anything like it. While it was not raining where we were, constant lightning strikes were all around. That moment on our ride home is similar to where we find ourselves much of the time in life, in between the storms. Hopefully, we have learned from the challenges of our past but for the storms that we will inevitably encounter on the remainder of life’s journey, we can look to scripture for guidance.
In Matthew 14:22-33, we learn that Jesus had just performed the miracle of feeding the five thousand when he sent his disciples ahead of him in a boat to cross the sea while he went to the mountain top to pray. It was night and the disciples encountered a storm a few miles offshore. The Gospel explains that the boat was “being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.” The disciples suddenly see Jesus approaching through the darkness, walking on water. They cry out in fear and Jesus responds – “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter is not convinced that it is Jesus, so he asks him to command him to come, which Jesus does. Peter gets out of the boat and begins to walk on water but then starts to doubt if he can continue due to the wind and waves. He begins to sink and cries out to the Lord to save him. Jesus extends a hand saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Once safely back in the boat, the storm dies down.
This Gospel story provides a great lesson for all of us. Peter and the other disciples found themselves in the middle of a storm. When they become frightened, Jesus responds by telling them to not be afraid and to trust in him. Peter is hesitant at first but proceeds. Then as he begins to make his way to Jesus, he has doubts. This is a key moment in the story. Jesus not only showed his love for the disciples by coming to their aid, but he also continued to help even after Peter expressed doubt. He continually does the same for us. Jesus’s love for us is never ending and he never loses sight of us. Do we return the favor? When the storms of life hit, do we doubt our faith in Jesus, or do we trust in him?
We may then ask ourselves, what does it mean to trust? In 1 Corinthians 13:13 we hear about faith, hope and love. To trust Jesus means to live these virtues daily. To trust Jesus means to have faith in him, to hope in him, and to love him as he loves us. To trust Jesus means to welcome him into our hearts, to immerse ourselves in him and to live our lives for him by becoming the hands, feet, and heart of Christ. As Pope Francis stated in his Easter Vigil homily in 2013, “Let the risen Jesus enter your life—welcome him as a friend, with trust: he is life! If up till now you have kept him at a distance, step forward. He will receive you with open arms. If you have been indifferent, take a risk; you won’t be disappointed. If following him seems difficult, don’t be afraid. Trust him, be confident that he is close to you, he is with you, and he will give you the peace you are looking for and the strength to live as he would have you do.”
There have been many times in my life where I have felt like Peter on the water. Where I was being battered by the wind and rain of life and would begin to sink because my focus was not on Jesus. Instead of approaching these times with doubt, Jesus calls us to approach them with faith and trust. In John 16:33, Jesus tells us “I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” In these words, Jesus acknowledges that we will encounter difficulties but instructs us to trust that he will be with us during the challenging times. The storms we experience in life can be strong and intense, but we should remember the lesson from Peter. He had the courage to step out of the boat in the middle of a storm and walk toward Jesus. Just as Jesus reached out his hand to save Peter, he will do the same for us. His love for us is so great, he will never let us sink.