Mt. 14: 22 - 23
Recently, I have been reading about the start of World War I in the summer of 1914, being particularly interested in the United Kingdom’s involvement beginning on 4 August 1914.
In the years that I travelled to England to assist in parishes during the summer, I was always impressed by the number of war memorials everywhere, especially World War I memorials. Of course, there are the many famous London memorials, including the Cenotaph on Whitehall and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey. But when I visited those beautiful little villages that dot the countryside, I would see in every church a prominent memorial that listed the names of those men from that village who were killed in the so-called Great War. It seemed to me that the smallest of villages lost dozens of young men. They usually say in England that the country lost an entire generation.
In fact, the London church that I served for many summers, St. Patrick’s, Soho Square, had its own World War I memorial, and the church had even been bombed in WW II during the Blitz. The bomb only crashed through the roof and did not explode. Today a plaque marks the spot and thanks God for His protection of the church.
Sadly, it seems that the world is always at war, as we know so well even today.
Probably, some of you have known the suffering of war directly. But we all have known conflict; we all have known times when the wind blows contrary. In life the wind is often contrary. There are times when we are up against it, and life becomes a desperate struggle – with ourselves, our circumstances, our temptations, our sorrows, our pains, our decisions; sometimes, sadly, even a struggle with our loved ones.
Today’s Gospel reminds us that at such times no one needs to struggle alone. The Gospel is not only an account of a miracle that happened on the Sea of Galilee about 2,000 years ago.
Our Lord comes to us across the storms of life with His hand outstretched to save us, and with His calm, clear voice bidding us to take courage and not fear: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
The Early Church found this passage one of the most consoling of all the Sacred Scriptures.
They knew well what persecution was; they knew well what pain and suffering were. After all, they were frequently martyrs.
Not all of us have known the pain and suffering of war and direct persecution. But all of us have known pain, suffering, struggle, worry; and we frequently need consolation, guidance, encouragement, healing. May we take courage and be assured what our Faith teaches us and the Gospel shows us: Our Lord did not only calm storms and save Peter on the sea in ancient Palestine. He saves us, and He calms the frequent storms that can seem to overwhelm our lives, even today.
-Fr. Don Saunders, S.J.
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