Tuesday of 13th Week, even numbered year
“Jesus was asleep.”
We can identify ourselves in the situation of the storm that Jesus calms. Our walk is a long crossing, heading towards the Kingdom, like a boat that sails on the sea of the times, amongst the trials that we unexpectedly come across, such ordeals inspiring fear in us.
If we believe that Jesus is in our own boat, shouldn’t that put us in a state of serenity?
Every ordeal we go through in life when they suddenly draw up, like waves on the sea, become for us an opportunity to rest upon the Heart of Jesus.
The boat remains the symbol of the Church, still today going through a storm.
The ’boat’ is in danger of being covered up by the waves.
This boat also represents also one of us, God’s house of which we have the grace and responsibility!
It is invaded by waves of doubt and very often of despair! Now, Jesus is there present, in the boat of our life and he can be asleep in it. Alls we have to do is to awaken Jesus who sleeps through such dangerous moments for us.
"The disciples went to him and woke him, saying, ’Save us , Lord, we are lost!’ And he said to them ’Why are you so frightened, you have so little faith?’
And then he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm."
The deep reason of this faith of the disciples which was so little is that they were still far off from the true knowledge of Jesus’ plans.
If we knew him better, our faith would be more solid, because it would rest upon a mysterious living Presence of Jesus in our lives.
Nevertheless, the knowledge and love of Jesus requires attention and time to be given tot the Lord Jesus! Faith must be rooted in a deep knowledge of Christ, it has to be lived day in day out.
It needs to be always deepened.
In order to live, we need to die with Jesus to this world of darkness and of violence in order to rise with Him to true Life.
If Jesus has fallen asleep in the boat of our soul buried by the storm, it is in awakening that we are going to live once more.
Heaven is present even within death , henceforth it is within us, the only thing it asks is to shine forth through us!
Sleep in Christ is the sign of a mystery, the heart of each faithful person is a boat floating on the sea; it cannot go down if the mind keeps good thoughts in a peaceful manner.
“They were stounded and said’ Whatever kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”
These words are very present to us today, they have the power to chase all fear rising up in our hearts when faced with the unknown, what comes along unannounced before what seems impossible to master.
Jesus, in his Presence, changes our lives in a radical manner if we believe in Him!
The ordeal itself, born in faith, doesn’t have us fall into he abyss of concern and despair, but rather it purifies us and sanctifies us.
In the Tabernacle, Jesus is there as someone who is sleeping, but his all powerfulness never sleeps, it raises up in us, who adore him, waves of love and of peace which are going to be opposed to and calm all the ’waves’ of evil.
We might believe that when faced with danger we have to quickly calm the wind and outer storm! However, Jesus is going to address the inner storm.
Salvation is in the relationship established between Jesus and ourselves. The outer calm, obtained afterwards by Jesus, will be the sign that the inner storm is overcome!
It is Easter, the passage of The Lord to Life.
Salvation is in this relationship that has Heaven and earth burst forth.
We ask for the grace to be this humanity with which Jesus continues his work of Salvation.
Heaven is within this very storm, from now on it I in us and only asks to shine forth!
Christ’s sleep is the mysterious sign the heart of every faithful person is a boat sailing on the sea; it is unable to go down if the mind is filled with thoughts on peace.
Salvation is in the relationship established between him, Jesus, and ourselves. The outer calm obtained afterwards by Jesus will be th sign that the inner storm has passed over!
It is Easter, the Passover, the passage of the Lord of Life. Salvations is in this relationship which has heaven burst open on earth.