In the Storm.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
"Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
"Come,” he said.
Matthew 14:27-29
In the middle of a storm it's always hard to remember the sun shining bright in the sky before or picture it ever peaking out from the clouds again! When it's pouring rain you hunker down under your umbrella, jump the puddles, and dodge rain drops. In the middle of the storm, you stop worrying about how cute your outfit looks. In the middle of the storm, you do what you can to catch leaks in the ceiling. And sometimes in the middle of the storm there's a moment, or a day, when you start to wonder if you should just start building an arc because there's no light around the corner, the forecast is dim, and you literally think there will never be a day again when you will see the sun.
I'm in the middle of a storm. The leaks are many, the raindrops heavy, and the hope fleeting away a little more each day. And it seems there's only so many days you can put back on the rain boots, and cover your hair with a hood, and face the day only to be drenched on your first step out the door. But life does not stop for storms. And despite the fact that you would rather just stay in bed, you have to get up and keep facing the rain or wind or snow.
So there I was entering the new year, feeling defeated, confused, broken, and a little hopeless. It's frustrating you know, that you cannot just tell the wind you feel it's force and ask it to stop howling. Or let the rain know you have had enough and the sun could do you a little good! But the storm has its ways and it's power, and it's purpose I suppose.
I heard so many people complain about the rain. But we needed it. We needed it so badly. Without it, this desert would stay dry. With the rain brings new life, green plants, and filled reservoirs. But we do not want to face the hassle, we do not want to deal with the flooded roads or the wet jeans. We do not want to be called outside of ourselves. Because, the rain is uncomfortable. It isn't what we are used to and it makes us go out of our way to adjust. Nobody wants to go out of their way.
On New Year's Day, it was not rain, or wind, or any storm that cut the power. But in its own form of a storm there it was, dark, black, and silent. It was the middle of Mass.
Before my eyes, hope unfolded. A community came together. The dark, like a storm, could have brought anger, and confusion, or the urge to get up and leave. But instead it brought the most beautiful liturgy I have ever been a part of. In the dark, the people pressed on, prayed on, praised on, and saw the whole point of it all. I have never heard mass responses so bold, singing so genuine, and seen the Eucharistic so clearly. There's something about storms, and there's something about being in the dark. You really have two choices in those moments, panic or keep your eyes on Jesus.
So many of the storms we will face in our lifetime are a vessel for God's beautiful miracles. But we run. Or hide. Or refuse to let Him have His way. The lights go out and we are distracted by searching for flash lights, and candles and anything to light the room back up again. But, what if there's a beauty in the dark. What if that moment when we just let it be, and look to the light of Christ is the moment that will lead us to something amazing. The storms do not last forever, but what if like when it rained for days, we learned to love the hope that in all things the light of Christ is calling us forward. God is calling us forward and the storms help us see that.
There are days I wonder if the sun will ever shine again. And it always does. But the thing is I love the rain too. The rain renews the land, and it renews in my heart the fact that I cannot do any of this alone but I want to keep my eyes on the light. No matter the wind or the storm or the hail that hits, I want to keep my eyes on the light.
"Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
"Come,” he said.
Matthew 14:27-29
In the middle of a storm it's always hard to remember the sun shining bright in the sky before or picture it ever peaking out from the clouds again! When it's pouring rain you hunker down under your umbrella, jump the puddles, and dodge rain drops. In the middle of the storm, you stop worrying about how cute your outfit looks. In the middle of the storm, you do what you can to catch leaks in the ceiling. And sometimes in the middle of the storm there's a moment, or a day, when you start to wonder if you should just start building an arc because there's no light around the corner, the forecast is dim, and you literally think there will never be a day again when you will see the sun.
I'm in the middle of a storm. The leaks are many, the raindrops heavy, and the hope fleeting away a little more each day. And it seems there's only so many days you can put back on the rain boots, and cover your hair with a hood, and face the day only to be drenched on your first step out the door. But life does not stop for storms. And despite the fact that you would rather just stay in bed, you have to get up and keep facing the rain or wind or snow.
So there I was entering the new year, feeling defeated, confused, broken, and a little hopeless. It's frustrating you know, that you cannot just tell the wind you feel it's force and ask it to stop howling. Or let the rain know you have had enough and the sun could do you a little good! But the storm has its ways and it's power, and it's purpose I suppose.
I heard so many people complain about the rain. But we needed it. We needed it so badly. Without it, this desert would stay dry. With the rain brings new life, green plants, and filled reservoirs. But we do not want to face the hassle, we do not want to deal with the flooded roads or the wet jeans. We do not want to be called outside of ourselves. Because, the rain is uncomfortable. It isn't what we are used to and it makes us go out of our way to adjust. Nobody wants to go out of their way.
On New Year's Day, it was not rain, or wind, or any storm that cut the power. But in its own form of a storm there it was, dark, black, and silent. It was the middle of Mass.
Before my eyes, hope unfolded. A community came together. The dark, like a storm, could have brought anger, and confusion, or the urge to get up and leave. But instead it brought the most beautiful liturgy I have ever been a part of. In the dark, the people pressed on, prayed on, praised on, and saw the whole point of it all. I have never heard mass responses so bold, singing so genuine, and seen the Eucharistic so clearly. There's something about storms, and there's something about being in the dark. You really have two choices in those moments, panic or keep your eyes on Jesus.
So many of the storms we will face in our lifetime are a vessel for God's beautiful miracles. But we run. Or hide. Or refuse to let Him have His way. The lights go out and we are distracted by searching for flash lights, and candles and anything to light the room back up again. But, what if there's a beauty in the dark. What if that moment when we just let it be, and look to the light of Christ is the moment that will lead us to something amazing. The storms do not last forever, but what if like when it rained for days, we learned to love the hope that in all things the light of Christ is calling us forward. God is calling us forward and the storms help us see that.
There are days I wonder if the sun will ever shine again. And it always does. But the thing is I love the rain too. The rain renews the land, and it renews in my heart the fact that I cannot do any of this alone but I want to keep my eyes on the light. No matter the wind or the storm or the hail that hits, I want to keep my eyes on the light.
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