The Beauty of Hope
This past week we were blessed to be present at The Good News Conference co-produced by Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire and Corporate Travel Services (a fantastic family-organization led by dear friends of ACTS XXIX). The theme of the Conference was Beauty, and we offered a word entitled “The Beauty of Hope.”
I say a “word” because we believe that what most of us need right now aren’t talks, inspiring though they may be, are words from the Lord — messages He wants to deliver to us. And, thanks be to God, He is more eager to give them than we are to hear them.
Storms are raging all around us right now. Ukraine. National politics. The unabashed attack on human dignity, especially but not only against the unborn. The Church, whether in Germany, our own diocese or parish. And, of course, closer to home in our families and our own personal lives.
In praying for the Conference the Holy Spirit led us to Matthew 8:23-27. What a timely word this seems to be for so many of us. Jesus and His disciples are in a boat on the Sea of Galilee, a lake roughly 13 miles long and 7 miles wide. This body of water is known for the storms that suddenly arise without any warning. Sure enough, such a storm emerges quickly.
Matthew describes the storm with the Greek word seismos — think earthquake! The waves that quickly emerge begin to cover the boat, and we can only imagine the sound of the wind and waves and the rattling around of everything on board. The fishermen’s craft is now shaking up and down, rocking violently from side to side.
And. Jesus. Is. Asleep.
The disciples wake Him up with just three words in Greek. These words translate roughly into, “Lord! Save! Lost!” Remember, these are men who live on the water. They think they’re going to die.
As I pray with this scene, I see Jesus seated in the back of the boat, John next to Him, and Peter up at the front. John shakes the Lord awake and yells those words. Again, we need to remember how loud this scene must have been. Imagine anyone trying to have a conversation in the middle of a hurricane!
And now, again in my prayer, things become humorous. Jesus suddenly wakes up — not at the sound of the storm but at the sound of His friend’s voice. “What’s the problem?” He yells back at the man sitting right next to Him. Peter can’t hear the exchange and so from the front of the boat he yells back to John, “What did He say?!?” And John answers with a dumbfounded look, “He said He wants to know what the problem is?!”
And so the eternal Son of God — the One through whom and for whom the universe was made, the One who became man, bound the strong man, abolished Death, cracked open the gates of hell, and holds firmly right now in His hands the Church, the world, our country, and all of history — says to you and me.
As He did with the disciples so He does with us: He speaks from the middle of the storm, before He calms it, whatever that storm is you and I are weathering.
“What’s the problem? Don’t you know Who I am? Don’t you know that I have no rival? Don’t you know that My grace is sufficient for all things? Don’t you yet believe in Me?”
Let us ask the Holy Spirit to increase within us in the days ahead the gift of faith so that we can truly know who Jesus is.
“Be still. Relax. Know that I am God” (Ps 46:10).