Reflection:
Our scripture for today is Jesus' response to the disciples in the boat after he calmed the storm. Jesus' words highlight an important spiritual principle: fear and faith are always at odds.
The charismatic gift of faith is a supernatural gift of confidence in God. This gift allows the believer to move boldly and to raise up the gift of faith within the body of Christ to benefit and strengthen the church. Obviously our boatload of disciples above needed more of this gift!. What was the fruit of their lack of faith? Fear. Because of their fear and not faith, they marveled at Jesus ability to calm the wind and the waves.
No one is at peace if they are filled with fear. No one lacks peace that is filled with faith. If we want to reap a great harvest of peace, we need more faith. Now, we can all muster up faith from time to time: We have faith the pilot flying the plane has sufficient training and experience to land safely at the destination or else we wouldn't get on board! But how how often when a family member or friend expressed fear or a crisis, do we have the confidence in God to speak faith into their lives? When the impossible stares us in the face, what rises up? Fear or faith?
At the end of the Mass, what are the final words? Go in Peace… In other words- Go with confidence that the sacrament you received has given you the grace to move in faith. We need the gift of faith in order to have the fruit of peace. Peace- the quiet confidence in God (and not ourselves), creates a receptivity for the gift of faith. Faith and Peace work together.