Your Faith Journey - Finding God Through Words, Song And Praise

Fear!  Fear is a vital response to physical and emotional danger.   And, if we didn't feel it, we couldn't protect ourselves from legitimate threats. But often we fear situations that are far from life-or-death, and thus hang back for no good reason.  Sometimes, fear can actually be paralyzing and it can keep us from living into the fullness of life, living into life that truly matters.   Yet, exposing ourselves to our personal demons by facing our fears is the best way to move through them and past them.  In today’s gospel, we hear a story that not only addresses the fear that can literally overpower us, but we also hear a story of the even greater power of promise, telling us of a loving presence that will never let us go. At last, Jesus has finally been able to send the crowds away.  He has convinced his disciples to get in a boat and cross the lake ahead of him. Finally, he has found time to retreat and spend some time in prayer.  As we look at today’s gospel reading, Jesus is not a superhero who has retr