Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

READINGS

Gospel Matthew 8:23-27

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us!  We are perishing!"He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?" Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. The men were amazed and said, "What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?"

REFLECTION

 "Lord, save us!  We are perishing! "He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?"

Stormy seas are like riding in an airplane when there is a lot of turbulence. The sensation of the up and down movements can be dramatic. The difference of riding through a storm in a boat is that you see the huge waves that are higher than the mast of the boat adding to the feeling of vulnerability sailing through it.

The Apostles were fishermen and must have experienced storms before. This storm must have been the most violent storm they ever experienced. They yelled, "Lord, save us!  We are perishing!"

I was in the Gulf in a boat when the calm seas began to change into huge waves. The wind was strong and the waves were higher than the flying bridge on the boat (20 ft.high). I began to pray because only God could help us. He answered my prayers.

Providence kept us from capsizing, we saw a big tug boat to follow behind which helped take the brunt of the seas. The tug boat led us into the Mississippi River and calmer waters.

The Lord was with the Apostles. They recognized that He could save them even though they were terrified at the situation. "He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?"

Our PAPA acronym for FAITH is Father All Into Thy Hands. The Apostles let fear take over instead of surrendering and trusting in the Lord. Let us pray that all priests will have FAITH in the Lord during times of trials.

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