THAT gospel episode
about Christ’s disciples experiencing a terrible tempest at sea while Christ
was simply sleeping in one corner of the boat (cfr. Mt 8,23-27) should remind
us that while we cannot help but be filled with fear and worries when all kinds
of life’s troubles would assail us, we should never lose the hope that Christ
will always come to our aid one way or another.
We should try to recover our hope and serenity so that we can be
in a better condition to tackle the many challenges of our life. We have to
train ourselves to have this kind of reaction, knowing that trials and all
kinds of difficulties are unavoidable in our life. Let’s never forget what
Christ once said: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have
overcome the world.” (Jn 16,33)
In all our affairs and situations in life, we should always go to
God to ask for his help and guidance, and to trust his ways and his providence,
even if the outcome of our prayers and petitions appears unanswered, if not,
contradicted.
This should be the attitude to have. It’s an attitude that can
only indicate our unconditional faith and love for God who is always in control
of things, and at the same time can also leave us in peace and joy even at the
worst of the possibilities.
Remember the Book of Ecclesiastes where it says that for
everything there is a season, “a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to
plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to
heal…” But everything is under God’s control, and even if we are capable of
eternity, we just the same “cannot find out what God has done from the
beginning to the end.” (3,1ff) We just have to trust him.
We have to follow the example of the many characters in the
gospel who, feeling helpless in the many predicaments they were in, earnestly
rushed to Christ for some succor. They went to him unafraid and unashamed and
they got what they wanted.
It may happen that we may not get what we want. And in this, we
should not be too surprised or too worried. What is sure is that God always
listens and gives us what is best for us.
If our request is granted, it’s because it is good for us. We
should however be careful that the favor should not spoil us but should rather
make us more thankful and faithful to him.
If our request is not granted, it could be because what we asked
is actually not good for us. Examples of this kind of cases are aplenty, and
many would later on realize how lucky they were that what they asked for was
not granted.
In this life, we should just have to develop a sportsman’s
attitude, since life is like a game. Yes, life is like a game, because we set
out to pursue a goal, we have to follow certain rules, we are given some means,
tools and instruments, we train and are primed to win and do our best, but
defeats can always come, and yet, we just have to move on.
We need a sporting spirit because life’s true failure can come
only when we choose not to have hope.
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