Cyrus A.

Balaba Reflection #4 (Matthew 8: 23-27 June 28 teusday)

07/08/11

In this gospel, it taught us to have courage in Jesus when we encounter natural disasters and problems. In this gospel, it reflects us onhow faithful the disciples of Jesus are when natural disasters come into them. In this gospel also shows the demonstration of how Jesus calms the storm. We had encountered copious crises in our life, and we have so many problems in our life especially in our day-to-day life. One of these problems we had is our family. One of my experiences about family problems is the dealing with my brothers and sisters because of our different orientations in life. I grew with my grandmother in the side of my father in Davao City and they grew up in the hands of my grandmother in the side of my mother. We always had quarrel because of the way they were oriented, and sometimes I cant understand them. But our Lord Jesus is telling us have courage when times of problem, lift our faith to God and He will give us more courage to persevere. In the context of my vocation, I have experienced many wine presses in my vocation. One of this wine presses is spiritual dryness. This is very painful to me, because I have forgotten my prayer life. Again I was reminded in this gospel to have courage in my vocation. What sort of man is this? In this verse, the disciples of Jesus were astounded in the boat when they saw Jesus calming the storm. In this gospel we were reminded not to doubt in the works of Jesus especially miracles. Many of us would not believe about miracles of Jesus, one of this miracles is the changing of the bread and wine to body and blood of Christ. There was this story of a protestant believer who doesnt believe in the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into body and blood of Christ. One of his Christian friends invited him to attend the mass. He was so curios of what the priest is doing. In the end he asked his friend, what did the priest did in the mass? His Christian friend answered him; he is making bread and wine into body and blood of Christ. Until such time the Holy Spirit enlightens him. In the end he was converted to Christianity. In this story, it shows a simple miracle but it has a great influenced to us especially with regards to our faith in God and Jesus is telling us to have courage in the Lord. Cling to him and He will express his comfort to you. The message we can get in this gospel is to have courage in the Lord, though there were wine presses in our life, but Jesus is telling us to have courage to him. We must not act like the disciples when they were in the boat. They doubt about the works of the Jesus. In the language of Saint Augustine the true object of happiness is God alone. That is why the Disciples of Christ in that setting had already their faith in Christ, that He is the Son of God. In relation to the gospel, have courage in following the Lord. Do our best and God will do the rest.