He's here! Don't be afraid!

Prayer for the Day

Eternal Father,

I offer up to you the burden of my fears for the conversion of sinners, for the forgiveness of sins, in reparation for sins and for the salvation of all souls.  Amen

Reflection

How many things are out there in the darkness in our lives? How many make us afraid?  For me, the list is large; the state of the world in general.  Throw in all the fighting and wars, of course.  I am afraid for the health of several friends with serious illnesses.  Fear for the future of my soul and the souls of my family gives me great pause.  Responsibilities that become overwhelming at times are a source of fear for me. I fear most of the time about my mother’s well-being, as well as my mother-in-law’s.  And I worry about the price of gas lately: (just a little levity while discussing a pretty serious issue).

There in the dark of our lives is that shapeless, formless fear. Our natural tendency is to run from fear.  So, like the disciples of Jesus described in John 6: 16-21, we climb into a boat to escape the fear and row through the dimness, confident that we are fleeing it. Where is Jesus? He said He would be here. We wait for Him but He doesn’t come. And so we row our heavy boat, not realizing that our little craft is weighed down with the baggage of our own fear. We imagine that we’re leaving it behind in the fog and darkness that hangs over the water. If only Jesus would come to us we could feel the peace we long for so much.

From across the water, we see Him. Jesus walks over the waves towards us. Our hearts jump at the audacity of this kind of power and we row harder, fleeing the calm and the love on His face and wanting to escape the miracle we witness with our eyes. He is here and we are terrified.  Why?

What if He tells us to stop rowing?  Won’t the fears catch back up to us?

How would we react if He calmed the seas and lit the skies and we saw that the terrors looming in our lives were simply the stuff of life?  If there was nothing more to dread, where would we focus our lives? What would it cost us to let go of the fears that drive us each day?

“Don't be afraid”, He says. “I'm here with you. I'm always here with you, even when it's dark and you can't see me. “

He stands next to the boat smiling at us and we allow ourselves to put the oars down. We don't have to be afraid. Life is not easy, but He is always next to us, inviting us to rest in the gaze of His eyes, so full of love for us. The terror subsides as we look into His gentle eyes, feel His courage fill us and realize that rather than being lost at sea, our boat is gently bumping the edge of the shoreline.