Dear friends in Christ

When Jesus calms the storm on the sea of Galilee, it makes an unforgettable impression on the Apostles. It confirmed their faith and prepared them for the harder, more testing battles that lay ahead. The sight of a perfectly calm sea, subject to the voice of Christ, was engraved on their hearts. Years afterwards, these men would pray, and the memory of this scene would bring peace to them as they underwent all the trials Our Lord had foretold. Our closeness to Christ will give us calmness and strength, especially in those times when storms are going on around us. At the very beginning of the Church the Apostles experienced abundant fruits. But at the time they would suffer threats, insults, persecution. They were not concerned whether opinion was favourable or hostile towards them. They were only concerned to make Christ known to all, to take the fruits of our redemption to the uttermost corners of the earth. They preached the doctrine of Christ, which in purely human terms constituted a scandal for some and seemed sheer madness to others. This doctrine entered all environments, transforming souls and customs. We too find ourselves in a world that is sunk in materialism, the excessive love of comfort and well-being, sensuality and ignorance of the things of God and eternity. On many occasions this may seem like a severe storm enveloping us, but with Christ at the helm, we have complete trust in His promises. Then we must ask the Lord for an increase of trust and the certainty that He is holding the Church and the world in the palm of his hand, always ready to quell any turbulence that could take away our peace of mind.

I wish you every blessing for the week ahead!

Msgr Kevin Hale