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...

“They came and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us!   We are perishing!’ He said to them, ‘Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?’”   Matthew 8:25-26   Memorial of the First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church   Who do we turn to in times of trouble? Do we turn inward and drive ourselves into corners? When hardships and difficulties come our way, what do we do? Do we turn to drugs or alcohol? Who do we call out to? When the Apostles were at sea with the Lord, a storm came about and it frightened them. The winds were blowing and the seas were roaring, and yet the Lord was peacefully resting. The Apostles had thought that the Lord had forgotten them and no longer cared for them, but He was right there with them. Would He – could He watch them drown and die? Their faith was weak and allowed the storm on the sea as well as the storms in their hearts to take over, putting them into a state of panic.   When the circumstances of our lives grow s...

When the storms of life overwhelm you, know that the Lord is right there with you. He may not turn the storm into a sunny day, but he will weather the storm with you. He says to you, "Do not let your hearts be troubled." It is He who is the way, the truth, and the life. He will lead us home when we've lost our way, affirm our goodness when the lies of the world bring us down, and remind us of our dignity and worth when others deny it.

The Lord makes a covenant with Abram and changes his name to Abraham.  He promises him many descendants and that even kings will come from his family line.  To man it seems crazy and unreal.  But to the man of faith, it is not. Abram underwent a transformation from not completely believing to becoming our "Father in Faith."  The Lord reiterates and emphasizes again and again to Abraham that He will be true to His covenant and that Abraham and his descendants will be His People and He will be their God.  God never takes back His word.  Our world today seems crazy and unsettling.  But that is because we are looking through the lens of man.  We must put on the lens of faith, the lens of a man or woman that has been transformed.  Like Abram who received a new name, we too have a new name.  No longer are we called "forsaken" or "desolate," but we are called the "beloved of the Father."  God calls us by name, the name that brings with i...

In the Gospels we hear of a father who went to Jesus and asked Him to cast out the demons that were causing his son to convulse and foam at the mouth. The father told Jesus that His disciples tried but were unable to cast them out.  Jesus seemed disappointed and wearied but of course He cast out the demons and healed the boy. The disciples asked Jesus why they couldn't cast out the demons. I mean they walked with Jesus, listened to Him, and ate with Him.  If they were so close with the Lord why couldn't they cast out the demons?  Jesus told them, "This kind can only come out through prayer."  Well, what does that mean, Jesus? The disciples may have walked with and listened to Jesus, but did they know Him?  Jesus told His disciples that the kind of demon that was inside the little boy can only be cast out through "prayer."  What is prayer?  Prayer is a relationship.  It comes from spending time with and getting to know the other. The disciples ma...