Sunday, January 29, 2017

Jesus Asleep?



Jesus Asleep?
By: Eric Gajewski
Matthew 8:23-27 At that time, Jesus got into a boat, and His disciples followed Him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was covered by the waves; but He was asleep. So they came and woke Him, saying, Lord, save us! we are perishing! But He said to them, Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the sea, and there came a great calm. And the men marvelled, saying, What manner of Man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?

Let not your heart be troubled.  God is still in control both in your individual lives and with His Church.  There are far too many complaining by raising their voices to God demanding God end this crisis in the Storm.  Be careful lest you tempt the Lord with your contemptuous tongue.  God has a plan and does not answer to man thus we must continue on until Jesus Himself desires to end the Storm.  Which one of us will add a few years to our lives by worrying about when God “will act” in this crisis?  None of us therefore we must continue to labor on and control what we can control.  Perhaps God knows best?  Perhaps even better than you?  Perhaps the more time that is granted unto man to convert the more actually will?  Let us take a look at todays gospel and apply it to this current crisis in the Church.

Jesus Got into a Boat.  Our Lord chose to enter into the earthly life through Mary thus ought we not do the same?  Do we not preach to come unto the Sacred Heart by first entering the Ark or Boat wherein the Immaculate and Sacred Hearts reside?  Enter in and do not delay the hour is late.  This same boat or Ship is also the Catholic Church.  Those who do not enter this boat (at least implicitly; have a desire) cannot have eternal life.  This Ship this vessel which St. Bosco describes in vision is the Ship of Faith and yet it us (like the Apostles) who cry out as if God is not there!  If we are on the boat we reside in Mary and the Holy Trinity therefore what fear ought you have other than “abandoning ship” and jumping overboard due to mortal sin?  Stay on the Boat and pray Jesus will awaken.



Great Storm arises.  Welcome to human nature.  The Church has gone through trials in times past and today is no different.  Without the Storm, how can you possibly demonstrate your Faith to Christ?  How will you ever “experience” the safety of this boat if you first do not experience the pounding of the waves along the sides thereof?  Worry, doubt and despair all displease God therefore we find ourselves on this Boat today to grow in Faith and ultimately Selfless Love.  How many friends and even family members do you have who have abandoned the Catholic Faith because the fear is too great?  Unsettled hearts rest in self love and thus we must allow these waves to pound against the surface so that we can FULLY turn inward to see Our Lord asleep on this Boat.  If it God’s Will for Him to be apparently “sleeping” in this crisis it is good for me.  Gods Will is perfect.  I will not raise my voice unto Him and demand.  No, I will get a blanket for Him and gladly keep Him warm so that I can further grow in Faith and Selfless Love.  Man sees problems on the surface but an Eagle can see the opportunities God is presenting to them and will take full advantage of them.  How many have died from fright attributed to the Storm when in reality they went untouched?


We cry out save us!  Much like a young child we cry out in this hour saying “deliver us” from this evil and yet Christ still “seemingly sleeps”.  We can pray without demanding.  We can cry out without giving into despair.  We must understand we can only truly perish if we abandon this Ship.  We do not perish if we remain on this Ark. Yet, in another sense, it is on this boat, we all must learn to die to self and thus it will feel as though we are perishing.  It is never easy to hand over “all things” to God thus we must do as Our Lord asks.  He who would seek to keep His life shall lose it and those who hand it over to Our Lord shall find a whole new life.  On the other side of this trial the Apostles understood this I believe.  For in the end is it not enough to simply be gazing upon our Beloved sleeping in the Boat?


TradCatKnight Exclusive: Into the Storm  



O ye of “little faith”.  Well, at least our Lord indicated that the Apostles had faith to a certain extent albeit “little Faith”.  We begin to grow in faith the day we begin to see Jesus always and pay no attention that we are in any Storm?  We begin to realize that it is painful to cling to self when we keep our carnal eyes fixated upon the Storm.  Pain is a realization that something “is alive”.  What is alive in your heart?  Is it self?  Or is it Christ who says unto you this day, “Come and lay down with Me and rest a little in this Storm”.  How will you act in the coming Tribulation?  Will you do laps around the perimeter of the Boat shouting out to Jesus deliver us as soon as the Storm starts?  Or will you make a place next to Him and sleep?  His yoke is easy is it not?  You do not grow in Faith without trial therefore if you continually find yourself in the trial and complaining then God is trying to send you a message which you are simply not understanding. 



What manner of Man is this?  It is in this Storm that you will truly find Him to be your God and best friend.  It is in the Storm where you can see for yourself whether it is God who controls your heart or whether the Storm controls it through fear.  Perfect Love cast out all fear and if you are on the Boat with Perfect Love Himself then we ought unify our hearts with His.  Love cannot be overrun run by the waves of this Life.  The Wind cannot keep an Eagle grounded.  No, rather, it only helps an Eagle achieve greater heights!  The more you stay in prayer the more you find out that Christ is more than just a man.  You find out He is the Wind behind the Sail of this Ship.  You find out that even when He is “asleep” you are safe because you are in His Presence.  God’s eyes truly never close nor despise thus onward we sail.  Let us ask the Blessed Virgin Mary for those graces we need today and this upcoming week that we might survive the Storm without grumbling, complaining to or even demanding of Christ.  Let us remember, it is rough seas outside this Boat yet it is intimate and quiet within.  Stay focused.  He sleeps for a reason which is beyond our earthly rationale does He not?  Ave Maria!



TradCatKnight Radio: "Eagles & The Storm"