Wednesday after Epiphany
Sometimes the most powerful messages are the simplest ones. I’m struggling a bit to craft this reflection, because I don’t want to come across as flippant or to inappropriately simplify the message. But I am sitting with the question, “Is Jesus in Your Boat?” I invite you to set sail in prayer today, positioned in whatever boat you currently find yourself in, welcoming the Prince of Peace into your vessel.
Jesus’ disciples are alone in a boat, crossing the Sea of Galilee, when a storm comes up. As they struggle against the wind and waves, Jesus walks toward them on the water. Terrified that he is a ghost, they cry out in fear. He speaks a word of comfort to them and boards the boat. The scripture tells us, “He got into the boat with them and the wind died down.” Once Jesus was present with them, the power of his authoritative presence calmed the storm. We often feel alone in our own storms, don’t we? We tend to view our problems, issues, and challenges as storms. These “storms of life” buffet us about. We feel unstable in our boat on life’s sea. Sometimes it feels like our boats will surely capsize because the onslaught feels too intense. Life’s challenging situations are not the storm, however. Fear creates storms in our hearts and minds. Our problems are not the storm. The storm is the whirlwind, the tornadic activity in our minds that keeps us distracted and distraught.
Is Jesus in your boat? The reality of Christ’s presence with us is true and trustworthy. Jesus has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. We feel alone when we forget that Christ is with us, when we neglect to make room for him with us in the boat, when we become distracted by the storm. Having Jesus in the boat with us does not always mean that problems will vanish or that situations miraculously resolve as we wish they would. But Jesus’ presence with us in the boat does mean that the storm can calm down – the storm of anxiety, fear, and worry; the storm of our maelstrom thoughts that form a constant deluge not unlike torrential rain and relentless waves crashing on a rocky shore.
In our first reading, St John assures us, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear . . .” With Perfect Love himself seated beside us in our boat, the storm of fear is driven out. In this life we will always have troubles, issues, problems, and struggles – that’s a given. The good news is that in the midst of all our difficulties we can be at peace and experience joy and calm because Jesus is with us. We truly can live free from storms, even in the midst of our trials. Today, let us grab hold of this scriptural truth – that perfect love drives out fear. When we find ourselves distracted by fear, when the storm clouds gather in our minds, perhaps this verse can become a declaration that we repeat over and over, letting it become truth deep within us. May Perfect Love be with you this day and drive out all your fear. Amen!
Elizabeth Wourms