Rev. Fr.
Emmanuel Emenike Onyia
LET YOUR
FAITH KEEP YOU IN THE BOAT OF CHRIST AND YOU WILL HAVE VICTORY OVER THE STORMS
OF LIFE
A boat
is a craft work made for transportation, fishing, or cruising on the water
propelled by oars or wind. It is a full house, a complete and secured vessel.
The fisher men and the marine men who are into sea business know the value of a
boat and what it means to be in a boat faced with heavy storms. Little wonder,
in the Scriptures, Jesus often make use of the boat to teach and instruct the
people and his disciples.
On the
occasion of our Gospel passage today, Jesus made the disciples get into the
boat and go before him to another side. When evening came, he was there alone,
while the boat, by now far out on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea
storms.
So as
the waves were breaking over the boat, the disciples were afraid and needed
help from anywhere. It was at this point that they saw Jesus walking on the sea
and he said to them: “take courage, it is I, do not be afraid”. But Peter said
‘if it is you Lord, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said
Jesus.
Then
Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water,
but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he became afraid and began to
sink. So he cried out ‘Lord! Save me!’ Jesus put out his hand at once and held
him. And as they got into the boat the wind ceased. The men in the boat bowed
down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’
In
this Gospel passage we can foresee a gesture which signifies the chosen people
of God on a transit of faith, frightened by the guilt of sin and wounded by the
waves of the sea, the abode of evil forces and monsters of this world. Today
Jesus is inviting us to journey on this boat of life with an unwavering faith
and a repented heart so that our storms of struggles will cease.
Because
the world is being tossed around by the waves of evil forces the enemies of humanity,
inflicting hardships, sickness and sorrows on us. But Jesus is inviting us to
come into his boat with faith so that we can find life, peace and grace to
overcome our struggles.
Just
the way God called prophet Elijah out of the cave of fear and starvation to
encounter Him at mount Horeb as we have it in our first reading today. So,
there came a mighty wind, so strong that it tore the mountains and shattered
the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind
came an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the
earthquake came a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire
there came the sound of a gentle breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered
his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave
there he encounter the Lord in the gentle breeze.
Thus,
Elijah encountered the Lord in a moment of stillness and silence, reminding us
that God can not be found in the violent storms of life, but in the deep
silence of our hearts even in the midst of the storms of life. Hence, we should
not let all the challenges, trials and difficulties we encounter in this crazy
world, make us to lose sight of God’s presence, but they should lead us to God.
And
this is what St. Paul is struggling with in our second reading when he said my sorrow is so great, my mental
anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ
if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and blood to know and
understand their place in God. This no doubt is what most people are passing
through in our societies today.
Dear friends, the world is full of crowd and
caves of different storms and so many people are trying to find ways to fix
their problems. Today Jesus is inviting us to come into his boat of life with
an unwavering faith and a repented heart and we will find peace of mind. For his boat is the safest vessel where all
our storms can be subdued. Where humanity can find solace, where all our struggles
will cease, where hope for the future is guarantied.
Therefore,
I don't know the great storms of doubt and fear in your soul today? I don’t
know how deep your sorrows of constant failure and disappointment are? I don’t
know how long or deep you have been involved in the evil going on in this
world? All I know is that if today we come to Jesus the boat of life with great
faith in God, the storms in our lives will cease and then we will worship God
in sincerity and freedom.
PRAYER:
Lord God, we thank you for being with us this far in our daily struggle of life,
grant that the violent storms and waves of bondage in our lives will end in a
wonderful calm that brings peace in our souls. We ask this through Christ our
Lord. Amen. Wishing you the best of God’s favour and blessings today and
always.
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