Walk on with Faith in Your Heart

08-13-2023Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

In the Gospel, we hear Jesus - walking on the waters as He approached the disciples' boat rocked by a storm. Most disciples were fishermen who could probably swim, but seeing a person walking on top of the water and not - swimming frightened them. If we do it on our own, we certainly cannot, but with God - we can. How many times have we weathered the storm of our life because the Lord was there to help us? The scene of the panicking disciples was the complete opposite of the peace of Jesus while He was praying alone on the mountain.

Imagine how they reacted amid their panic when they suddenly saw Jesus, whom they thought to be a ghost. They only calmed down after Jesus assuring words: Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid. Lesson: In the storms and tribulations of life, we take comfort, courage, and peace because of our faith in Jesus, who is always there to save us.

The song You Will Never Walk Alone starts with When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high, and do not be afraid of the dark. This line reminds us not to cast our gaze down but to look up whenever we encounter a storm. To look down is a sign of surrender, but instead, take courage and never lose heart, have faith in our hearts, and call on Jesus. Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart, and you'll never walk alone; you'll never walk alone. Yes! When we have faith in moments of personal storms, have a positive outlook, and look up, we'll never walk alone.

Jesus took the opportunity to teach the disciples the importance of faith in times of storm. When He walked on the water, He emphasized the value of faith, to keep walking with a strong heart and be not like Peter. Initially, trusting Jesus, he could walk on the water, but the moment he started doubting, he began to sink. Do you know why Peter started to drown? As long as his focus was on Jesus, he was all right. But when he removed his focus on Jesus and focused on his surroundings, he began to sink. A now terrified Peter called on Jesus again, and the Lord said: "O, you of little faith, why did you doubt?" Jesus asks each of us today: How deep is our faith in Him? Focus on Jesus! Lord, help us to stay focused on You!

What has kept me afloat in my almost twenty-five years in the ministry? Serving the Lord entails overcoming the challenges and difficulties: temptations, pastoral ministry, administration, expectations, and persecutions. The priests are not exempt from all these. Priests need survival kits when the storms of ministry life come:

1. Make a habit of trying to overcome temptations,
2. Greater conviction to deal with or let them pass.
3. Focused on the one served, Jesus,
4. In persecutions, act with kindness and goodness;
5. Whatever happens, hold on to God: Be still and know that I am God (Ps. 46:10)

The coming of Jesus to the rescue of the disciples battered by the storm tells us to put less trust and dependence on people or things of this world and more on Him. Let us have faith in Jesus; He is the only one who can truly - protect us, calm the storms of our lives, and save us. Lord, increase my faith. Help us not to neglect or belittle the faith factor in our life.

Learn to give all to God - your health, your family, your friends, your work, your worries, your fears, your finances, your hopes, your frustrations, your dreams, your weaknesses, and your sins. When you learn to let go, you learn to be empty. When you are unfilled - it's easy to replenish and refill you abundantly.