BEADS OF JOY 01-27-18
“Wind and Sea Obey”
©2018 James Dacey, Jr. OFS
My Friends,
Today’s Gospel:
Mark 4:35-41 (Calming of
The Storm at Sea)
“On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?" And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?" And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?"
“On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?" And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?" And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?"
Reflection:
Did you ever feel like your life was out in the stormy sea? Did you ever feel like screaming to the top of your lungs, “Do you not care if she/he perishes Lord?” Did you ever feel like this very moment, will be your life’s very last moment and all your pleading and begging is going unheard? ...and later you only find out it’s not. I unfortunately understand the battle of the waves only too well now. Yes, the seas have calmed down a lot in my life? …or have they? Well, there’s a more complicated answered after the storm has passed and the damage and loss is done. But let us rather look at the storm and its fury.
When you research storms you find
out, “Storms have the potential to harm
lives...” you also learn, “It may be
marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind,
tornados, hail, thunder and lightning…” Now here’s the one I thought very
interesting, “Storms are created when a
center of low pressure develops with a system of high pressure surrounding it.
This combination of opposing forces can create winds and result in the
formation of storm.” The only force that can battle any storm in our lives,
is our faith through Grace and by the power and help of the Holy Spirit. I’m
only human, when Chrissy struggled and suffered, I screamed and yelled and cried
to the top of my lungs; never in her sight, I had to be strong for Chrissy.
God knows our strength and God
knows what we can handle. Sometimes I really hate knowing that statement. Because
it’s like we are brought to the maximum limits of what we can handle all the
time. But, praise Jesus for our faith and trust in Him during the most hostile
of storms. I don’t know where I would be, or Chrissy would be if we didn’t have
faith through the 6 years of furious storms we battled, that knocked us off our
feet so many times. And I confess, and Christine knew, she was stronger than me,
non-stop throughout. I gained strength and always had faith and I always remained
by her side, but she remained calm and strong constantly.
Pondering these thoughts today: How did we manage it? We have no secret formula. We had love and faith and hope, and we hinged everything we had on that, and so together we battled every single storm. We knew what the inevitable cost would be (death), but we weren’t going to lay down our swords and surrender, we were fighting this fight to the end, no storm was going to win, if we can stop it. I only wish God would allow loved ones to take the place of suffering loved ones; that’s the one thing I prayed for throughout the storms. “Take me Lord in her place. Take me!” I yelled and screamed and cried at God so much all those years; I know He knows why and He knows I love Him and it was all out of love. But I can remember the depths of that emotion even as I type this, years later. Thank you, Lord for all I don’t understand; what I do understand is all that matters.
LOVE
YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
Today is Saturday: We pray the Joyful Mysteries:
The Joyful Mysteries
1. The Annunciation (Humility) – Luke 1:26-28
2. The Visitation (Love of Neighbor) – Luke 1:39-45
3. The Birth of Jesus (Poverty of Spirit) – Luke 2:1-20
4. Presentation (Purity of Mind & Spirit) – Luke 2:22-38
5. Finding in The Temple (Obedience) –Luke 2:41-50
I simply love Saturday mornings, because Saturday like every other day of the week -begins with the Rosary.
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
Today is Saturday: We pray the Joyful Mysteries:
The Joyful Mysteries
1. The Annunciation (Humility) – Luke 1:26-28
2. The Visitation (Love of Neighbor) – Luke 1:39-45
3. The Birth of Jesus (Poverty of Spirit) – Luke 2:1-20
4. Presentation (Purity of Mind & Spirit) – Luke 2:22-38
5. Finding in The Temple (Obedience) –Luke 2:41-50
I simply love Saturday mornings, because Saturday like every other day of the week -begins with the Rosary.
Rosary Man Jim’s Joyful Reflection: http://beads-of-joy-blog.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-joyful-mysteries_10.html
