Reflections of a beloved son

“But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” Matthew 14:30 Memorial of St. John Vianney We are in the midst of hurricane season. Rain is pouring, winds are gusting, and property is being damaged. For many, power will be lost. For some, lives might be lost. There will be many storms in our lives. Storms are natural parts of life. Some will be more violent than others. Some will cause more damage than others. But storms are not everlasting. All storms eventually come to an end. Even though there may not be anything we can do to prevent the storms from coming or magically make them go away, we can learn to do the proper precautions and proactively brave the storms. There will be times in our lives that make hope seem distant or joy and peace seem nonexistent. But we must hold on to them – hope, joy, and peace are everlasting!  They come from God. When Jesus asked Peter to go to Him on the waters, Peter did...

After Jesus told Peter what would happen to him, he turned to John and asked Jesus, “ What about him?” Peter was so interested in the affairs of others that Jesus had to remind him to focus on what he had been asked to do. Sometimes in our lives we may get carried away in the affairs of others that we forget what we are supposed to do. In the midst of trying to make sure everyone is doing what they’re supposed to do, we neglect what we’ve been asked to do. Our mission as disciples is not to micromanage and become busybodies but rather to root who we are and what we do in Christ and from there bring others the hope and the joy of the Gospel not merely by our lips but by our actions and example.  After Jesus had reprimanded him, Peter shifted his focus on what the Lord asked him to do – “Feed my sheep.” He kept his eyes on Christ, knowing that only by doing so will he be able to carry out what Jesus instructed him to do. As Christians our focus can sometimes be lost in the world of...

" I am going fishing " said St. Peter, and the other disciples who were there said "We also will come with you."  At this point, Jesus had appeared to the Apostles before already.  They were no longer hiding in the locked room.  The appearances of Jesus had gradually warmed their hearts and strengthened their spirits.  But, Peter returned to fishing instead of spreading the news that Jesus had risen from the dead.  However, even here we can see what Jesus said to Peter in the very beginning coming to fulfillment: " Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men " (Mt. 4:19).  The disciples said to Peter, "We are coming with you!"  Peter was catching men, but perhaps he did not see the significance of this yet.   And so they set out for the sea to catch some fish. They caught nothing.  They were unable to catch anything because they have been called to catch men and be for God, fishers of men.  They were unable to catch anything beca...