And he was sound asleep!

Matthew 8:23-27

23-25 Then he got in the boat, his disciples with him. The next thing they knew, they were in a severe storm. Waves were crashing into the boat—and he was sound asleep! They roused him, pleading, “Master, save us! We’re going down!”

26 Jesus reprimanded them. “Why are you such cowards, such faint-hearts?” Then he stood up and told the wind to be silent, the sea to quiet down: “Silence!” The sea became smooth as glass.

27 The men rubbed their eyes, astonished. “What’s going on here? Wind and sea come to heel at his command!”

Food for thought!

From today's gospel we learn a number of things. We learn that staying close to Jesus does not mean freedom from problems and struggles and storms of life. In the gospel Jesus was with his disciples, and the disciples were with Jesus; they were in his company. And yet happened the unexpected: "The next thing they knew, they were in a severe storm. Waves were crashing into the boat."

Jesus is teaching us here that being a Christian, or a devout Christian, going to Church every day, praying all the time, being in his company is no guarantee of a life without problems. Even followers of Jesus, even Jesus' companions have to struggle with life.

In the Old Testament we find this text: "Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, I'd never forget you—never. Look, I've written your names on the backs of my hands.

The walls you're rebuilding are never out of my sight. Your builders are faster than your wreckers." (Is. 49:15-17)

That said, when we are struggling Jesus helps. He does not make things easy for us. He lets us fight our own battles. Like a parent watching his son put up a splendid effort in some athletic contest, he does not substitute him but rather feels proud of him.

Jesus does not remove challenges from our life; he empowers us to face them. Life was not meant to be a smooth ride; life is rough! Remember this as you too struggle with storms in your life. Remember that life is lived with the loving eye of Jesus upon us.

This said, Jesus is not a sadist; he does not enjoy seeing us struggle and fight; he does not stay indifferent when we are drowning; he comes to our rescue. When the disciples of Jesus saw themselves drowning, they cried: “Master, save us! We’re going down!” And Jesus stood up and told the wind to be silent, the sea to quiet down: “Silence!” The sea became smooth as glass.

Another lesson is that sometimes life is such that we don't feel the presence of Jesus. Sometimes it is like Jesus is asleep; absent, MIA (missing in action). Jesus is like the sun: because the day is gloomy and cloudy does not mean that the sun is not there, somewhere. The sun is never ever not there, even during the night. Jesus is never ever not present, even when we are going through the dark valley.

"Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me. Your shepherd's rod and staff protect me." (Psalm 23:4).