Even in Chaos, God is Never Far From You.

Saturday 4^th May, 2019. Read Acts 6:1-7, Psalm 33 and John 6:16-21

 

_*“They were frightened, but he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’” (John 6:19-20)*_

No matter how bad things turn out in our lives, we must never forget the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:20 “I am with you always, to the close of the age.” Even in the midst of the chaos, when it seems as if our world is turned up-side-down, when we feel as though our prayers are no longer working, God is still right there with us.

As the legendary Christian Musician, Don Moen sang: “God will make a way where there seems to be no way.” God made a way for the apostles when it seemed as though they were going to meet their death on the sea. By walking on water, Jesus was saying: “I am on top of the situation.”

In our first reading today, a situation arose which seemed to disrupt their communal living. The Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution of food. This was a community that thrived on being Christ-like, a community everyone shared all they had. If this problem was not tackled, this would be the end of the love and sharing in that community. It was a worrisome situation.

Despite the nature of the problem at hand, the Apostles felt that nothing was more important than prayer, they would not get involved in sharing food or in meddling between the politics of the Hellenists and the Hebrews. They appointed deacons to serve at table while they decided to devote themselves more to prayer and the ministry of the word.

In truth, the Acts of the Apostles contains a lot of lessons for the church today. The Apostles were so conscious of Christ’s presence with them that they made prayer and the word their top priority even when the community was under serious threat of collapse. Are will still conscious of Jesus’ presence with us today? What value do we place on prayers? As a priest or religious, how much time do I dedicate to my personal prayers (the Divine Office), compared to the time I dedicate to other functions?

As a Christian, how do I react when I face an impending shipwreck? Do I remain calm and remind myself of Jesus presence with me? Do I devote more time to prayer when I am afraid of incoming danger or do I begin to panic running from pillar to post? The same Jesus who walked on the sea and got into the boat of the disciples is the Jesus we serve.

Miracles still happen. The question is: “Do you believe?” And if truly you believe, does your faith reflect in the way you pray and the amount of time you dedicate to prayer? Remember, even in the midst of chaos, God is never far from you. Calm Down and Pray More!

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, you walked on water to teach me that there is nothing beyond your power. Help me to trust in you when things become difficult for me. Amen.

*Happy Weekend. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of the 2^nd Week of Easter. Bible Study: Acts 6:1-7, Psalm 33 and John 6:16-21).