The disciples are crossing the sea with Jesus when a violent storm arises. The waves break over the boat until it begins to fill with water. Yet Jesus is there with them, asleep in the stern.
Terrified, they wake Him and ask:
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
Jesus rises, rebukes the wind, and says to the sea:
“Quiet! Be still!”
The wind ceases, and there is a great calm.
Then Jesus asks them:
“Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
Worry comes from fear.
Sadness comes from fear.
Suffering comes from fear.
Doubt comes from fear.
Fear can weaken our faith.
Even those of us who practice our faith—active Christians and Catholics, followers of Jesus who pray every day, who go to Mass as often as possible, and who genuinely try to remain close to Christ—still experience fear.
Even when Jesus is close to us, and even when we are doing everything we can to remain close to Him, fear can enter our hearts and weaken our faith.
Why? Because fear is an emotion, and we are human beings. We are emotional beings.
Jesus Christ is not asking us never to feel afraid. He is asking us not to act or react out of fear.
His invitation comes precisely in the moment when fear appears.
When we are afraid, trust in Him.
When we are afraid, pray to Him.
When we are afraid, give that fear to Him.
Place it in His hands.
And remember that no matter how alone we may feel, He is with us.
Fear may still be present. The uncertainty may still be present. We may not understand what is happening or what will happen next.
But we do not need to understand everything. We do not need to control everything.
Everything is in His hands.
And if everything is in His hands, and He is with us, then we can trust that, ultimately, everything will be okay.