Pastor's Spiritual Reflections

By Fr. Leo Schneider (8/10/2008)

Dear People of Holy Name,

The story of Jesus walking on the water, rescuing Peter and calming the wind, is written to bring us to the same proclamation of faith the disciples make after they witness what Jesus had done as he was with them in the boat. They said, “Truly, you are the Son of God.” Ultimately it is that statement of faith that makes us Christians. In professing such a faith, we believe that Jesus was not only a historical figure, but that he is and always will be the Son of God.

The disciples were able to experience Jesus personally and thus came to faith. While today’s gospel is to inspire us to that same level of faith, it is our experience of the living God that will lead us to own the disciples words for ourselves. So, where do we come to experience the living God?

In our first reading the prophet Elijah comes to know the presence of God. First he looks for the Lord in the mighty wind, but God was not in the wind. Then Elijah looks for him in an earthquake, a literally earth shattering experience. Elijah didn’t hear is voice in the earthquake. Then when he hears a tiny whispering sound, he heard the voice of the Lord, covered his face and stood at the entrance of the cave.

To seek God in miracles is a bit like looking for the presence of God in a strong wind or an earthquake. More often, God reveals his presence in simple things which require quiet. Before Jesus walks on the water he goes to a deserted place to be alone and pray. When Elijah was quite and alone in the cave, it was then he heard the voice of the Lord. We too, will need quiet to recognize the presence of God that is so much around us and a part of us, for in him we live and move and have our being.

Sometimes we can look too hard for God, looking for something in what we see and experience, rather than letting God reveal himself to us. For example, when someone says to us, “look at that, isn’t it beautiful?” We may look in vain to see what they see. For to us on some days, a flower is just a flower, but on another day we may look at a bloom and it may really speak to us. For in our quiet inner space the beauty of the flower is able to reveal itself to us and we can be moved and changed.

When we practice the presence of God in all things we don’t need to look for him in miracles or in the storm. In fact, when the storm comes we will find ourselves calm, for we know he is with us and will bring his saving calm. It is this same spirituality that allows us to trust in God and find peace even in our dying. We don’t have to call for the priest in a panic to “anoint” as if it was some kind of magic. We call to pray and celebrate the presence of God who has been with us, is with us and will always be with us.

One thing that can work against us in coming to a deeper and more profound faith, at least for me, is living a fairly comfortable life where much is under our control. It is easy to turn religion into more of a hobby than a way of life, until something comes a long that is bigger than ourselves and then we cry out with Peter, “Lord, save me!” We don’t have to wait to call on God in the tough times. We can live in the Lord in the quiet times, so that when the tough times come along we remain in the Lord’s peace and serenity.

Key for us will be taking time alone to enter into the quiet, to hear the voice of the Lord within us. Knowing him in the little things of life prepares us for seeing him in the greater things as well. May the Lord bless our faith, that believing in him as the Son of God, we may always trust in him and find ourselves walking on the water in the tough times and resting in his peace and joy upon the end of every day. May God so bless us!

In Christ’s peace, Fr. Leo