“A violent storm came up, and waves were breaking over the boat so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Quiet! Be still! The wind ceased, and there was great calm. Then he asked them, why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” (Mk.4:37-40)
Many artists have drawn the boat of Peter in different episodes. Jesus preaching to the crowd sitting in the boat, Jesus and the miraculous catch, Jesus traveling in the boat to encounter people in other places, the disciples full of fear in the boat, Jesus sleeping in the boat, waves breaking over the boat, and finally Jesus full of peace and authority in the boat after calming the storm. Peter’s boat represents the Church that sails the waters of the world.
All these beautiful images of Peter’s boat teach us the different realities that the Church of Jesus Christ has gone through in history for centuries until now.
Since its beginning, the Church has been persecuted. It continues to be attacked by violent storms of the world and the spirit of evil through persecutions, heresies, schisms, and all kinds of violence that have threatened to sink it. The world cannot stand God’s message because it is based on truth, faith, justice, and charity.
The Church teachings are of Divine origin and not merely human; Jesus our Lord has promised to be always with the Church daily. Jesus loves His Church and has accompanied it Her faithfully in the past, present, and future, just as He has promised Her. That is why the Church fears not the storms of the world but faithfully has kept custody of the teachings received from the Lord.
The Church suffers a crisis of faith, and the spirit of evil, and the world takes advantage and wreaks turmoil to weaken it from within as it weakened the faith of the first disciples in the storm that hit the boat when Jesus slept, says the Gospel. Jesus still seems to sleep in the hearts of many believers, while the Church has long been going through a storm.
As a church, we need to awaken Jesus, who often seems to be sleeping in this boat of Peter, the Universal Church. Jesus does not sleep; we are the ones who numb him with our lack of faith. It is time to take up the oars of prayer and not be passive, curious, or pessimistic spectators.
The archbishop’s intention prayer in October is for the Synod in Rome so that the participants can put aside their own plans and listen to the Holy Spirit, the wind pushing the sails so that the Church remains in all truth. Jesus asks all of us, “Do you not yet have faith,” Brothers and Sisters? Let’s put our faith in Jesus Christ. He is on this boat; let us pray that He’ll be awakened in the heart of every participant of the Synod.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Morning Star, shine in the Church and all the participants in the Synod in Rome with her humility and obedience of Faith, and thus, the church continues to sail fearlessly and faithfully to Jesus Christ, our Safe Port. Forever and ever, Amen.