Monthly Archives: February 2022

Feb4

Woman of God, Do Not Lay Down Your Sword

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Witness, Originally released to St Francis Women’s Retreat, 2021

Woman of God, do not lay down your sword.  As in every generation before us, we are living in unprecedented times.  We, you and I, were born for this moment, to be here right now, living through this pandemic, this political chaos, this civil unrest.  God has prepared us our entire lives to be His Remnant in these times.  We are called to “Armor Up” in the armor of God as given to us through the Sword of His Spirit, in His holy Word:

 Ephesians 6:10-18

“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able stand your ground and after you have done everything, to stand.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always praying for all the Lord’s people.”

Sisters, it is not the time to grow weary or complacent or faint.  It is the time to Armor up and grab our swords.

I.

Have any of you ever experienced that gnawing feeling in the pit of your stomach for no reason? Perhaps it is accompanied by a phrase that repeats in your head.  You pray over it and discern it is God’s whisper.  This has happened many times to me over my life and I’ve learned to listen and to heed.  It happened again beginning at the end of November, 2019.  Our retreat team was preparing for the upcoming women’s retreat and I had discerned to be one of the four to give my personal witness.  I’m ashamed to say that for a long time through that journey, I was a grumbling Hebrew in the desert at the moment when God whispered in my ear, “A hard time is coming.” “No kidding, Lord.” Was my initial response thinking He was referring to the witness I was about to give at the retreat.  I was struggling with being open to being vulnerable and honest in my sin and how God was able to transform me to bring Him the glory from my situation. But that phrase, His whisper, would not leave me.  In January, we heard of the Coronavirus and the whisper  “a hard time is coming” continued to be heard louder in my soul.  I had completed writing my witness and began to take more notice to what He was trying to prepare me for.  Shifting in our world was coming, indeed a hard time.  The retreat over, I looked forward to a lazy spring of catching up on my life that had been put on hold for many months in preparation of the retreat and my talk.  And still “a hard time is coming” being whispered to me over and over again.  Urgently whispered.  I began to prepare… water, food, chocolate, toilet paper, you know, all the essentials checked off and stored or hidden (the chocolate was for me not my family) in my pantry.  When we, the entire world came to our desert moment and the hard time had arrived.  COVID19 was in the world and the world was shut down for all but the essential to keep the minimum of society going and to bring healing to the very sick. God, in His mercy had been preparing me for a time such as this… a hard time that came.

Centerville shut down essentially.  I was surrounded in my home by two of my daughters and my husband.  Never. Ending. Human. Interaction. For my sisters who like me are at their very core are introverts, who need long periods of peace and quiet and aloneness, to be surrounded by others 24/7 afraid of contracting a virus that is not visible to the human eye is indeed a very hard time.

Mass stopped.  We were no longer allowed in the church during Mass nor to receive the Sacraments, no Eucharist.  A dearth of grace normally given to God’s people was extended throughout the world.  But God in His wisdom and tender care, extended that grace to us though livestream of the daily Mass.  He uses all things for our good and His glory, even those times when authorities feel that Mass is not essential in their quest to keep us safe.  I remember participating in the Mass through streaming: the tears flowing freely and the yearning so deep in my heart that it physically hurt to not physically be present at Mass.  I thirsted for God… for the Living Water present in attending the Mass in person that would quench my thirst.  A hard time.

Day after day, week after week, month after month…. Fear of the virus, fear of the civil unrest that naturally came after such a long period of people living in isolation instead of their normal lives, fear of the political chaos that we had been living through for many years regardless of which political party one was affiliated with.  Fear that maybe we had gone too far from Him and He no longer heard us, and the crying out to Him daily, “Lord, do you not hear the groanings of your people.  Please bring an end to this pandemic.”  But we know through His word in Psalm 34 that “the Lord Hears the cry of the poor.  Blessed be the poor.” So God’s remnant put on His armor and went to battle for Him regardless of our fear and doubt.  Knowing that He promises in Isaiah 41:10 that we are not to fear for He is with us.  We are not to be anxiously looking about us for He is our God.  He will strengthen us, surely, He will help us.  Surely, He will uphold us with His might righteous right hand. 

My sisters, I am here to share with you today how you too can armor up and trust that as part of His Remnant, He will never forsake you and your loved ones through these unprecedented times. We are at a Red Sea time, needing an Elijah moment and He is going to bring us and our world the healing we so desperately have been seeking for He, unlike Baal, is the One True God.  So let’s get our armor on and pick up our Swords and go about the business of healing our world through His strength and grace: one prayer, one hug, one act of kindness at a time being His feet and His hands, His eyes and ears, His Words….

II.

In 2018, the relics of St Padre Pio came to St Peter in Chains Cathedral in Cincinnati. A dear friend and I got ourselves up and down to Cincinnati that morning for the 7:30 right of reception and the veneration to follow.  I was somewhat familiar with St Pio as he was one of my sons’ name saint.  St Pio had also been greatly popularized in the late 90’s and early Y2K by the New Age movement due to his publicized ability to bilocate.  As those who have previously heard my witness might remember, at that time I was very involved in the New Age Movement before giving it up to follow my traditional Catholic faith at my Lord’s urging.   I was familiar with St Pio, but that familiarity did not prepare me for being present that morning in 2018 to venerate his relics.  I remember how cold the cathedral was when we first arrived.  I remember how long the prayers lasted.  I remember wondering what exactly I was doing there so early in the morning as those who know me will attest that I am most definitely not a morning person.  Soon, the cathedral settled down to prayer and contemplation and gratitude for this moment to be with St Pio.  My friend had encouraged me to bring a rosary, a medal, and other things to have St Pio bless.  When it came time to go before his relics and to have him bless the few things I had brought, I got up and stood in the back of a very long line.  Immediately, there was heat.  A fire surging deep within me.  I was so hot, so very hot.  I looked around me and the people were all complaining of the heat.  Fanning themselves… and I’m not just talking women of a certain age who are used to having moments of extreme heat.  Old, young, middle age, men, women, children, all fanning and sweating and speaking of the heat.  Meanwhile, those sitting in the pews were wrapped in coats and scarves as the cathedral was quite chilly.  I knelt before him and asked him to bless the rosary and medal I had brought and sat back down in my pew.  I was immediately cold again.  I looked at Yvonne and asked had she felt that and she said yes, the heat was intense.  So being the Protestant raised skeptic that I was to the saints, I jumped up with my big, old Bible and got back in line.  Heat….. again….. I knelt before the relic of a handkerchief that had drops of his blood on it and raised my Bible to the relic to bless it.  You can imagine what happened at that point, a little old biddy like myself lifting this heavy Bible, OT and NT combined, up to this little relic in a glass frame with her arthritic fingers…. Yep, the relic started to tip over.  I have to say that I have never seen men move so fast as those guards did when they grabbed that relic and prevented it from toppling over because my Bible had to be blessed by St Pio.  It was a moment.  As an aside, since having him bless my Bible, I am not able to use any other Bible.  I’ve tried so that his Bible could stay nice and special.  Nope, that is not his way….. it’s that Bible which speaks to my soul and allows me to know what God is speaking to me.  A blessing for sure. And thus began my devotion to St Pio.

I bring St Pio to our attention today, not only because I am very devoted to him and seek his guidance and prayer intentions regularly, but because this dear saint understands how we as people of God have felt these past months in isolation through social distancing, limiting contact with our loved ones, and enduring quarantine when we’ve become ill with the virus or have been exposed to it in spite of all of our precautions to stay healthy.  You see, St Pio was also forced into isolation by the Vatican.  In 1924 and again in 1931, the Vatican refused to allow him to appear in public and stripped him of performing all confessions and public Mass due to a fanatical following he had amassed of medical doctors, church authorities, and curiosity seekers regarding his bearing the five wounds of the stigmata. The authenticity of his stigmata was questioned and he was placed essentially in isolation.  He was basically stripped of his flock, his family of parishioners with whom he loved very much.  A very hard time, indeed, for St Pio.

Out of curiosity, how have you dealt with our current situation of isolation and living a life differently than you are used to? Have you grumbled through it, questioning why it is necessary?  Questioning if your civil liberties have been violated?  Been fearful of the change in life while holding on wistfully to memories of life as you knew it before COVID?   Until recently when I strictly limited my social media, I was on FB throughout this pandemic.  It was a way, I thought that I could continue to connect with those I care about.  Well, I can tell you unequivocally that the majority of people have not faced this pandemic with full trust in God and acceptance of any suffering they’ve encountered these months. Sadly, some have been dealt a harsher card than others in these times with the loss of dear ones to the virus or to the violence we find ourselves in as a country.  I’ve seen very little true joy in this suffering.  And, ashamedly, I include myself in the grumbler group.  Interestingly, regarding his isolation,  St Pio never complained.  He bore His isolation much as he had lived his life: armored up in prayer and devotion to God offering up his suffering for his love of Jesus, stating  “I have no wish whatsoever to have my cross lightened for it is a joy for me to suffer with Jesus.”  It is a joy for me to suffer with Jesus.  Wow… Have you found your suffering during times such as these to be a joy?  That we, my sisters, may learn to place total confidence in God that we might count it all joy is what Padre Pio is encouraging us in this time of chaos in all our lives.  “Pray, hope and don’t worry.  Worry is useless.  God is merciful and will hear your prayers,” according to Padre Pio.  Have you trusted God in these times with your whole heart to hear your prayers?  Have you trusted Him in the good things you’ve experienced as well as the difficult times recently?  Can you trust Him in your suffering, now?

A simple saint who on more than one occasion was attacked by Satan, Padre Pio knew how to put on his armor in the spiritual battle that every one of us from the moment of Eve in the garden when she had to answer the serpent who asked, “Did God really say not to eat the fruit of that tree?” until every moment of every day until the day of Christ’s glorious return to gather His chosen, we each are warriors in this battle whether we are aware of it or not.  I’d hazard to guess that you, like me are very aware of the battle we are in right now.  Never, in our life times as I’m sure many before felt the same, has there been such evil running rampant and spirits of depression, fear, anger, rebellion are surrounding all of us around the world.  This simple saint, Padre Pio, teaches us to armor up.  Be faithful, be prayerful, be humble in frequently going to confession, partake of the Eucharist in person as often as you can, take up your rosary every single day, read Scripture, put on your scapulars and your holy medals, your St Benedict cross.  Do not complain of the troubles of today nor live in fear of that which you cannot control.  Rather, follow the footsteps of a humble saint who knew that God in His abundant mercy and steadfast love always hears the cries of His children.  Our acceptance of our pain and suffering while offering it up to Him the Great Healer and our casting out fear in His name is a fragrant offering that is most pleasing to Him.  So as most likely all the old biddies like myself in your lives have chastised you again and again, “Offer it up”, my sisters.  Put on your armor in this moment.  And if you still are wondering how you are going to put on His armor, then fall on your knees and ask Him for His discernment and His wisdom and His plan for you in this moment.  For anytime you seek Him, it brings Him glory and is pleasing to Him.  He desires us to be in prayer with Him continually.  So seek Him now…

This past September, I began again as I had in my past to have dreams which felt real.  Some were reassuring and some were disturbing to me.  I passed it off as stress from all the chaos we have all been dealing with in our lives this past year.  But the dreams continued sporadically.  I contacted a mentor of mine and told her of one of my dreams, one of the beautiful ones, to see what she thought.  She quoted Joel 3:1 to me: “Then afterword, I will pour out my Spirit upon all mankind.  Your sons and daughters shall prophesy; your old shall dream dreams and your young shall see visions.” First, I want to say that as with many women, I found it interesting that God was putting me, a young 59, in the old people category.  But there we have it, you can’t even hide your age from God. Secondly, I realized that these types of dreams were from God and He was telling me something in this way, so like His whispers, I need to take heed. I share this with you to encourage you to believe that in this life we are in spiritual warfare.  Evil is real and it will come for you if given the chance.  I know this as a few weeks ago, I had another dream.  Praise God, I remember very few of the specifics as to how I got to where I was, but I know it must have been frightening for suddenly I found myself in my dream standing before Satan. Those around me bowing down to him.  I stood there amazed at his beauty.  He was a shining light of brightness.  One might mistake him for a saint or an angel except for the fact that his eyes were a burning red.  It was the only sign that I had as to who he was.  Immediately, I said to him, “Oh no, I’m not even going to stand before you.”  And just like that it felt as if I was slammed back into my body and I was wide awake in my bed and shaking uncontrollably.  Immediately grabbing my rosary on my bedstand, I put on my armor.  First my sword, the Word of God, reminding myself of those passages that have brought me comfort over the years and are His promises.  I will not leave you nor forsake you.  I will walk through the valley of the shadow of death with you.  Do not fear evil for I am with you.  Then I grabbed my shield of faith and began to pray the prayers I know for protection.  St Michael the Archangel defend me in battle.  Be my protection…. Hail Mary full of grace pray for me.  Calling out to St Joseph,  St Padre Pio and St Benedict to pray for me and for my family and for our protection.  With my helmet firmly on my head knowing that I am saved by the blood of the Lamb and He knows I am His and He calls me by name.  The breast plate of righteousness protecting my heart from the sin of bowing to evil even in a dream. The girdle of truth wrapped around my waist so that I can recognize satan as who he is, the father of lies and I can plant my feet firmly in God’s shoes of peace knowing that My God was there with me in the deep of the night in my bedroom guarding me from what I had witnessed in my dream and He was not a God of chaos and disorder but of peace.  His perfect love would cast out all my fear in that moment.  I wondered the next morning and prayed for an answer as to why I would be made to stand in front of satan. I came to realize that God wanted me to understand that satan and the occult are ever present in our world right now.  They appear as light and beauty; as those things we know are wrong but are widely accepted by others.  Even as those things masquerading as “Christian” or “Catholic” or acceptable to God until we dig deeper and realize that they are not from Him at all. Sometimes one must look closely to recognize what is not from God and what is from God. Frequently, we must be armored up to discern the difference.  He calls us to put on his armor and not be deceived by satan’s lies.  Do not be overcome by evil, my sisters, rather overcome evil with good.

III.

Listen to these words from Michelle McClain Walters from her book Esther Anointing, “Can you imagine an all female army-women marching in complete synchronization with the cadence of the Holy Spirit, moving together in unity with distinction and dignity to advance the kingdom of God?” We are at that time, here and now.  This is the time God has called us to… a time of a worldwide pandemic with no certainty as to when it might end…. A time of political upheaval and civil unrest…. A time when those around us are influenced by spirits of fear and anger and rebellion and depression.  Many of us have been experiencing these things in our own lives day in and day out for many, many days.  Today I am telling you to follow the path of beloved St Padre Pio.  He knew that there was power in the name of Jesus.  He knew that by armoring up and putting our focus on Jesus and our joy in everything happening to us both easy and hard, God will break every chain, every strong hold formed against God’s army.  Dear ones, we are that army.  You and I.  We are called to call on the power of Jesus’ name to break every chain, to rid our land of every altar set up to other gods and to Blow the trumpet in Zion so that every heart will awaken to God’s love.  Dear sister of God, do not lay down your sword.  Pick it up and wield it with His steadfast love and tender mercy in the strength of your faith.  Know His Word, Partake of His most Holy Eucharist, Go to Confession, Pray…. And know in the very depth of your soul that God is pleased with what He sees in you, you, His beloved daughter of His army.  Amen and amen.

Feb3

Walk on the Water

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Patoka Lake, Indiana, Summer, 2021

Matthew 14:22-33

The he made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening, he was there alone. Meanwhile, the boat already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once, (Jesus) spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” After they got into the boat the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

“Take courage, it is I!  Do not be afraid.”  How many of us have read these words from Matthew and wondered if Jesus was speaking to us specifically, as He was then to the disciples in the boat who were filled with fear when they saw a Ghost coming towards them in the storm.  How many of us right now, right here, need to hear these specific Words of our Lord and hold them in our hearts. Take courage!  Do not be afraid.   Be fearless in the safety of His arms.

Here is a little known fact about me…. I am a counter downer.  I have all sorts of count down apps on my phone.  For instance, did you know at the time of my writing this piece it is exactly 324 days, 13 hours, 8 minutes, 43 seconds until Christmas, 2022? My husband and children are constantly being reminded of that timeline throughout the year, because there is never too early of a time to listen to Christmas music and start planning the gift giving and the celebration.  Christmas in the Travers’ household is definitely a high holiday.  It is also according to my countdown app exactly two months, 27 days, 13 hours, 7 minutes and 18 seconds until the first day in the Travers’ household for Boat Season to begin.  The Travers are boat people from May 1 through September 30.  Being blessed with two boats, not only an old fishing boat that we use for, well duh, fishing… but also for water sports like skiing and tubing and wakeboarding and picnics on the lake followed up with a nice nap.  We have an old, yet respectable houseboat as well on “our” lake, which happens to be owned by the state of Indiana and is surrounded by beautiful, natural forests.  We dream of someday winning the lottery and getting an actual respectable houseboat, but we are grateful for what we have and make the most of it.

As water people, people who spend long periods of time on a boat on the water through all sorts of weather, I can tell you that we have become very aware of the sky and what may be coming our way.  Anticipating in a way if bad weather is approaching and what we need to do to keep ourselves safe in a storm.  I remember once, twenty years ago, new to boating, we were on the reservoir with our middle school sons having a most excellent day of sun and water.  Suddenly, we looked up and it was astonishing how fast the sky was turning gray and obviously a storm was brewing.  I dropped Hubby off at the dock to get the car and the boys and I headed to the launching area to wait for him and the trailer to get the boat out of the water.  Naturally, the lake was filled with water people who were also watching the clouds and coming to the same conclusion as us, all the boats heading towards the launching area.  Suddenly the wind picked up.  I understand in Matthew 8, when it says “a violent storm came up and the boat was swamped by waves.”  Our boat was swaying back and forth.  There was no controlling where it was going and we ended up being bashed against a parked boat on the dock while other boats were bashing against us.  The rain was pelting down on us and the streak lightening was hitting the water all around the hundred boats trying to get off the water.  It was terrifying.  I was trying to push us off the boat that was bashing into us from one side.  My twelve year old was trying to push us off the parked boat we were bashing into.  My fourteen year old was sitting in the back of our small boat with his eyes closed, obviously to me he was too terrified to help in any way.  An eternity later, which was most likely five or ten minutes, the fury of the storm passed.  I looked up and there was my husband standing on the dock waving at me, as drenched as I was and waiting for me to come pick him up to get back in the boat.  The storm had passed and he was ready to finish the day on the lake.  Once Hubby had re-entered the boat and we were safely back on the lake, my twelve year old, looked at my fourteen year old and with the most disdain I had ever heard in his voice said to his brother, “You were absolutely no help during that storm just sitting there while mom and I were trying to save us.” to which my other son quietly replied, “I was praying for us.”

Have you ever been in a storm that created great fear in you?  Perhaps it was a weather storm in which you were traveling down a highway in white out conditions, or the rain was pelting so hard you couldn’t see the road to stay in your lane.  Perhaps your storm was for the fight of your life following a devastating medical diagnosis for yourself or a loved one.  The fight for your marriage after finding out your spouse has been unfaithful or maybe it was you who were unfaithful.  The daily falling on your knees for the salvation of your grown children who have strayed so far from the church that you aren’t even sure they can see the path back to our faith.  Maybe, you have been directly in the storm the past two years which we as a world have struggled with…. The storm of Covid, a worldwide pandemic with no real end in sight.  This I know to be true:  all of us are in the midst of storms, no one escapes the storms of life.  As Frodo said to Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, “I wish none of this had happened.”  Gandalf replied: “So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide.  All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” Today, I want to talk with you about fear and faith.  About Great Faith and how we respond to Jesus in those moments when the storm has come, and our boat is swaying, being tossed about in the waves with the wind against it. Do we find him walking through the storm on the water towards us with arms outstretched?  Is our faith so great that we meet Him there on the water?  Do we Walk On The Water?

If we look at what is happening in  Matthew 14, we find that Jesus has just fed the multitude of people through His mighty miracle and grace from five loaves and two fish.  Can you imagine?  Have you ever hosted a family event, large party, wedding?  Did you manage to feed a multitude of guests with just seven pieces of food. Currently, I’m planning a birthday celebration for my husband with approximately 150 guests.  I can tell you that way more than five loaves of bread are going to be eaten.  Just the thought of all that food is exhausting and makes me so thankful for the caterer.  However, Our Lord,  He met the crowd and was filled with pity and moved to heal their sick.  He broke what little bread and fish they had with them, blessed it, gave it and it was sufficient.  His mercy and blessing are never ending.

Then Matthew tells us that Jesus “made” the disciples get into the boat and precede Him to the other side.  As a mom of five beautiful adult children, and if you don’t believe my kids are great just look at my social media cause it never lies…lol, I can tell you that I love that word “made” in this verse.  Made: to compel, to force, no choice.  Now think about it for a moment.  Jesus knows everything that is going to happen to His chosen.  He knows these fishermen and followers, whom He is making get into that boat are going to encounter rough seas.  And yet, He does not hesitate to send them off.  As a mom, I can tell you that there were many times I made my kids do things that I knew might not be what they wanted to do, but was what they needed to do, like go to bed on time, go to school with unfinished homework, drive alone to the store the first time.  Jesus kissed their cheeks and sent them on their way so He could go to the mountain and pray by Himself. He had been through a lot that afternoon and I am sure He needed His “Me” time with God to restore and reenergize for what His people would need next from Him.  He was fully human, hence fatigue and a need to be with God; and fully divine, hence the many miracles.  I can attest to the fact that after I host a huge event, I want nothing more than to curl up with my little dog and a good book for at least the next five days to re-energize myself.  So I totally can understand Jesus, knowing what is going to happen, still implores His followers to get on the boat.

Who amongst us have entered their storm willingly?  Did you raise your hand to God and declare with full conviction, “Oh Lord, let me experience this hardship so I can grow.  I promise to be fearless throughout it.”  I know that has never been what I’ve experienced when the storms arise.  I don’t choose to grow through the hardship of fearful situations.  When the pandemic began two years ago, I don’t recall any of us saying, “Oh great!  A chance to grow in my faith.”  We didn’t say, “Oh Lord, push us into the Covid storm so we can grow in faith.”  And yet, He allowed, the pandemic to happen.  The God of the Hebrews who made the Pharaoh impotent over God’s Chosen people and smote the Egyptians; the God who parted the Red Sea for the Safe passage of the Hebrew People even though he knew they would fall back to the worship of the golden calf; the God who sent His only begotten Son to die on a cross and be resurrected on the third day in atonement for His creation’s sin.  That God could end this pandemic if he chose to with the blink of His eye.  But we are told that all things will be for our good and for God’s glory.  So for His purposes, we as His creation find ourselves put on the Covid boat two years ago with no choice.  In the midst of this storm, a storm which has brought great fear to our world, we have the opportunity to show great faith.  We have the choice to move through our lives in these days fearless, knowing we are safe in His arms.  Will you meet this Covid storm and all of the storms of your life with fearlessness and great faith?

So the disciples find themselves on a boat with wind and storm, being tossed about the waves, trying to make it to the other side and it is late at night.  They left in the evening and it is now dark.  Let me tell you about night on a lake.  It can be the most beautiful experience you may encounter when the weather is cooperating.  When the sky is clear and you are on the lake in the middle of the forest in the middle of the night, you can look up to the sky and see His Magnificent Milky Way.  The stars are too many to be counted.  The lake is calm and the moon’s reflection on the water is indescribable.  However, I’ve also been on the lake in the middle of the night in a storm.  You cannot see the clouds covering the moon and stars.  The sky is pitch black.  You have no idea what is coming your way.  We were once on the houseboat in the middle of the night when a big storm came up.  Fortunately we were on dock that night, but the houseboat swayed back and forth, lightening striking around us, the wind howling.  A couple of hours later, it calmed and we all went to bed at that point.  The next day, a message came through from family asking if we had been on the boat the night before when a tornado had gone over the lake.  We had no idea there was a funnel cloud near us…

So I can imagine the discomfort they felt with the lake not being calm.  It’s dark.  It’s windy.  The waves are rolling.  They look out and see a “ghost” walking on the water towards them and are filled with fear.  Notice the timing of Jesus arrival.  He didn’t rush in at the first sight of the storm to save the day.  He knew full well what they were experiencing in that period of time.  He knew before He sent them on their way what was going to happen to them on the boat.  Though we know that they were never without Him in those moments for Jesus has promised us that He will never leave nor forsake us.  In the disciples exhausted state in the midst of the roaring waves and sea spray, they mistake Jesus as a phantom, a ghost, a specter of death and are afraid. Jesus knows their fear.  He knows they are exhausted and confused and concerned as to how they’re getting to the other side.  He calls out to them, “Take courage, it is I.  Do not be afraid.”  Did you catch that important pronoun in Jesus proclamation to his weary followers.  “It is I.”  “I AM.” “Yahweh.”  He proclaims His divine name in the midst of their fear. 

Have you found yourself in the midst of the storm, fearful, and seen Jesus coming towards you, but you do not recognize Him in your fear and confusion?  Has He proclaimed to you, “I AM is here.  Take courage.”  For the past two years, in the midst of COVID, I have ashamedly found myself crying out to Him, “Do you not hear the cries of your children?  Why must we endure this pandemic?  Innocents are dying or worse…” Take heart, my friend,  Job, who had lost everything that had meaning in his earthly life says of God, “though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him… He shall be my salvation.”  And so, I meet my fear of Covid and put my hand out to Jesus and say, “even in this, Lord, I will trust in you.” As Psalm 77 tells us,  “I cry aloud to God.  I cry to God to hear me.  On the night of my distress, I seek the Lord. By night my hands are stretched out unceasingly.” 

And Jesus responds to my plea immediately as He did to Peter on this night when Peter as in Peter’s usual fashion, questioned Christ. “If it is you, Lord, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus has heard and will hear these words many times over the course of humanity.  If it is you, then do xyz.  Are we doing that now in the storm we find ourselves in?  If it is you, Lord, heal my broken body.  If it is you, Lord, save my marriage.  If it is you, Lord, bring my children back to the Church.  If it is you, Lord, bring an immediate end to this pandemic. But Jesus is not confined by our boats or our storms.  He is unshakeable.  His plan is that of the Father’s.  He does only as the Father wills, not as man wills.  And God in His perfection will do all things for His glory, in His time, and for our good.  So what is there to fear in these storms?

Jesus, says to Peter, “Come.” And like many of us, Peter’s faith is great in that initial moment and he walks on water towards Jesus, until he becomes fearful of the strong wind. Notice that Jesus didn’t calm the waters for Peter’s path on the water to be easy to get through.  The waves are still rolling and the wind is strong.  But Peter stepped into the storm in full confidence that Jesus was right there with him.  Right now, we may be getting weary in our storm.  Life is getting harder with Covid.  As in everything, there are two sides pitting us against one another.  Mask or unmask, vaccinate or unvaccinated, social distance or not, in person or remote.  Satan is having a field day creating all the fear and division he possibly can amongst God’s people and amongst the people of the World.  Dear friend do not lay down your swords right now.  Armor up in the armor of God.  Step out on the water and walk to Jesus in the midst of this Covid storm. In the midst of every storm you are enduring in your life right now.  Be courageous and steadfast for He is always with you.

When Peter became fearful, He began to sink.  And He cried out, “Lord, Save me!”  And then what I consider the true miracle of this experience happened.  Jesus didn’t look at Peter and say, “Wait a minute.  Just a moment ago you were questioning if it was even me.”  He didn’t think about all the sin and denial that Peter was going to spew towards Him in the days to come.  He didn’t look around and say “Oh yeah, I’m due at Starbucks in fifteen, catch ya later Peter.”  No, Our Lord, IMMEDIATELY, reached out and caught Peter and saved him, sin and sorrow and fear and distrust and all.  Our Lord always, always swoops down, His arms wide in covenant love for us.  He lifts us up in His arms and helps us to safety.  He doesn’t chastise Peter.  He quietly says to Peter, “O you of little faith.  Why did you doubt?”

Are you doubting right now?  I know that I’ve fallen prey to the stronghold of doubt recently.  Wondering why so much suffering?  When will this all end?  When will we get back to normal?  Is there a normal to even get back to anymore?  “O, me of little faith.”  And I stretch out my hand to Him.  And He reaches down and swoops me up: sin and fear and distrust and all, bringing me to safety.

Upon climbing into the boat, the wind dies down and the waves slow to a peaceful calm.  Peter is safe in the arms of Jesus and those present finally believe… You are the Son of God.  Don’t you wonder, did Peter hold on to Jesus in the boat?  Did he weep, shedding the tears of shame and sorrow for having not trusted with great faith?  Was he remorseful?  Was he in awe of Jesus’ mercy and grace and willingness to save him despite his doubt and fear?

It is now our moment.  Will it be one of great faith and fearlessness in the storm?  Will We look out to the stormy waters and see Jesus standing there?  Will we hold out our hand as we climb out of the boat and trust that He is there with us and will bring us to safety.  Will we walk on the water? 

In the midst of the chaos of the storm, when we are forced to embark on an uncertain journey, whether it be Covid or any of the other storms which enter our lives, we have the opportunity to see God revealed in our midst as the disciples saw Him coming across the water.  It is our response to Him in these times which show our great faith.  Friend, will you walk on the water towards Him with me?

Amen and Amen