Take one look at the news on any given day and you’ll quickly see that our world is spiraling further and further into chaos. Men believe they can magically transform into women with a click of their heels and a little chop-chop to their nether regions. People assassinate others simply for trying to have conversations with those who disagree with their political or religious views. The United States is anything but “united” as the country splits deeply into two sides that have made it abundantly clear they despise each other.
All the while, the Catholic Church—along with Christendom in general—faces infection from the LGBT agenda, and rogue bishops now toss out centuries of solid theological tradition to appear hip and with the times. To add a cherry on top, all the chaos that often sweeps into our personal lives outside the global mayhem not only still exists, but feels like it’s intensifying.
Fortunately, God rules over all creation and alone possesses the power to tame the forces of chaos. Sacred Scripture makes this clear in the opening chapter of Genesis, where the Spirit of God hovers above the waters. That passage communicates God’s mastery over the waves—a symbol of chaos not only in Scripture but across ancient cultures worldwide.
Jesus Himself drives this same point home in Mark 6:45–52: “Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray. When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. When he saw them straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came toward them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought he was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’” Then he got into the boat with them, the wind ceased, and astonishment seized them, for they failed to understand about the loaves because their hearts were hardened.
Jesus walks on water. He exercises mastery over the chaos of the waves—so completely that He treats them as solid ground beneath His feet. The disciples and the boat symbolize the Church as it moves through the waters of time. As you likely guessed, the wind and choppy seas represent the trials and tribulations the Church and individual believers face while journeying through life.
Christ appears on the water during the darkest part of the night, when fear grips the disciples and panic takes over as conditions worsen. His first command tells them not to be afraid. The Master has arrived. He climbs into the boat, commands the winds to calm down, and they obey Him.
When you endure the storms of life—when it feels like the third watch of the night and your mind fixates on capsizing and drowning—Jesus stands there, Master over the chaos, telling you not to be afraid. He remains in control. He will not allow harm to reach your soul. While every fiber of your being screams panic and insists destruction looms, Jesus shows up to remind you that you belong to Him and that He never loses a sheep. Take heart. The trial you’re enduring won’t last forever. No matter how bad it looks or how out of control it feels, Jesus is with you. Call on Him. Ask Him for deliverance. Ask Him for hope and faith. He will give you everything you need to emerge from the storm.
What’s more, He will take that storm and use it to mold you more fully into His image, shaping a better version of you once the winds die down and the seas grow calm. Trust the Master.
