杏MAP导航

By Vatican News staff writer

杏MAP导航 Francis focused his reflections on the Sunday Gospel episode recounting when Jesus calmed the high winds and waves threatening the boat crossing with His disciples. The alarmed disciples awakened Jesus, who was asleep in the stern, to ask Him to help them.

The 杏MAP导航 likened the disciples鈥� experience of fear and bewilderment to the trials of our own lives, when we too cry out to the Lord, asking why He seems to be silent and not doing anything. Sometimes we feel we might be sinking when dealing with unemployment or health problems or at the mercy of unrelenting waves of anxiety with no safe harbor in sight, the 杏MAP导航 observed. At times we 鈥渞isk losing sight of the most important thing鈥�: that 鈥淛esus is there, and He shares with His own all that is happening鈥�, even if He is sleeping or seems out of sight. This is something that surprises us, but also tests our faith. The 杏MAP导航 said the Lord is always there and 鈥渨aits for us to engage Him, to invoke Him, to put Him at the centre of what we are experiencing鈥�; and we must not only believe in God, but be present to Him and even 鈥渞aise our voice with Him, cry out to Him鈥�. He recalled the tragic images we have seen of migrants struggling at sea crying out for help to be saved, a prayer to God.

It is helpful to reflect on our own lives and the winds we are facing and the waves that are troubling our navigation, the 杏MAP导航 advised. We need to share this with the Lord and 鈥渢ell Him everything鈥�, since He wants us to find shelter, consolation and support from the 鈥渦nexpected waves of life鈥�. The disciples鈥� waking and speaking to Jesus is the approach we should follow, the 杏MAP导航 said, and this faith helps us see that 鈥渁lone we are unable to stay afloat鈥�. Like sailors navigate looking to the stars in the sky, we too need to look to the Lord.

Knowing that we depend fully on the Lord and His grace is basic to faith, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, and we need to be aware of the temptation of thinking we can manage on our own without disturbing God. Instead, when we cry out to God, 鈥淗e can work wonders in us鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 assured his listeners, and 鈥渢he gentle and extraordinary power of prayer鈥� can work miracles.

In conclusion, 杏MAP导航 Francis said the question Jesus asked His disciples, 鈥淲hy are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?鈥� is directed to us also, especially when we are frozen and focused only on the problem, and not turning our hearts and putting our trust to the Lord, or 鈥渢o wake Him only in a moment of need鈥�. We need to 鈥渁sk for the grace of a faith that never tires of seeking the Lord, of knocking at the door of His heart鈥�, he said.

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his remarks with the prayer that the Virgin Mary's constant trust in God might 鈥渞eawaken in us the basic need of entrusting ourselves to Him each day鈥�.