With Jesus in Our Boats – St Angela Merici
(2 Sam 12:1-17; Ps 51; Mk 4:35-41)
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Have you ever prayed with your emotions?
Have faith in Jesus and in the power of prayer.
Today’s familiar account of Jesus calming the storm highlights the fear and lack of faith of the disciples, the serenity of Jesus during a storm on the sea, and the dead calm that results from his command to the wind and the sea.
I experienced this gospel during a retreat just before being ordained a bishop. I woke up the first morning of the retreat suddenly full of fear and anxiety. What was I getting myself into? I decided to pray with this passage because it fit my situation. That hour of prayer was like being in a spiritual boat tossed about by an emotional storm. When I thought of what lay ahead, waves of fear, anxiety and desolation would wash over me. Then I would read the passage and feel some peace, calm and confidence settling me down. Back and forth it went, waves of fear, anxiety and desolation battling with a rising tide of peace, calm and confidence. At the end of that hour, miraculously, there was only peace, calm and confidence – the fear, anxiety and desolation were all gone. Jesus was truly in my boat, had answered my prayers and calmed all my fears. That experience became one of the stories in my book, Drumming From Within, entitled “With Jesus in our Boat.”
There are three ways that God always answers our prayers: “Yes”, as he did for me above; “No”, because that is not in our best interests, or “Yes, but not yet” – later when things are right.
Virginia called me one day to claim that she could no longer pray – she wasn’t getting anything out of her attempts to pray. Knowing the powerful spiritual journey she had been on, I suspected that was not her problem. I thought she was ready for a more mature kind of prayer, so I introduced her to Lectio Divina with its four stages: Lectio – reading a passage of scripture prayerfully; Metitatio – meditating and thinking about that passage and asking what God was saying to us through that word, and maybe reading a commentary on the passage; Oratio – praying with that passage for our needs and the needs of the world, and finally, Contemplatio – putting all thoughts and feelings aside and just being in the presence of the Word, soaking up God’s love. That proved to be all she needed – she was off and running into a new depth of her relationship with God through prayer.
The biblical model for this prayer of contemplation is Mary of Bethany who, according to Thomas Keating, was not so much sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to his words; she was just there aware that she was in the presence of The Word, soaking up his love, and that was enough for her. We need to become more like Mary of Bethany and learn to just “be” in God’s presence.
Another important way of praying is the prayer of the Anawim, a Hebrew word meaning the poor people of God who know they need God, who have no pretensions. This is the prayer Peter learned when he was walking on the water. His request to Jesus, “Lord, make me come to you on the water,” is a heady, proud kind of prayer. Peter had faith and walked on water. However, I suspect that he got proud, took his eyes off Jesus, looked back to the boat to show off a bit, felt the wind, and started to sink. Now he was drowning, and his prayer changed to three words that came from his gut, “Lord, save me.” That is the prayer of the Anawim, those who know they need God.
Peter walking on the water by Fr. Seiger Köder
Suddenly Jesus was there, lifting him up and asking why he had so little faith. What do you think Peter did next? Let go of Jesus and try on his own again, or hang on to Jesus and together with him, walk back to the boat? I suspect the latter, and that is what we have to learn to do each morning as we get up – turn to the Lord and pray this prayer of the Anawim, admitting our need and asking him to walk with us throughout that day, one day at a time.
St Angela Merici
Today the Church honors Angela Merici who is recognized as the founder of the Ursulines. Born in 1474 near Brescia, Italy, she and her sister were orphaned as teens. When Angela’s sister, Giana Maria, died suddenly, Angela became a Franciscan tertiary, praying fervently for the repose of her sister’s soul. When Angela became aware of the need for education for girls, she and several friends began to teach girls in their homes in the hope of improving social conditions. Angela inspired others in the work of education. Together they formed a religious association. Most of the consecrated women continued to live with their families, with no solemn vows, habit, enclosure or community life, although they did meet for instruction and worship. Angela died in 1540. In 1545, the Company of St. Ursula was officially recognized by Pope Paul III. She is a patron saint of orphans, the sick and the physically challenged.
The Eucharist is our greatest prayer in which we admit our need, listen to God’s Word, believe in the Real Presence and commune intimately with Jesus.
May our celebration strengthen our faith in Jesus present in our boats and storms, and appreciate more deeply the power of prayer, as did Angela Merici.
Oh Bishop, I experience the same thing when I pray , having the anxiety, anxious and fear while praying by myself to end all pains, sorrows and sufferings that I encounter throughout my life. Even other people causing all these pains , pressure, stress with my life. I wanted to end the illness once for all by trying these advice and methods. I also prayed with emotions at times , one time was during the Charismatic prayer meetings while praying for other people and for myself . It also happen during the Cursillo weekend while attending the session when we ask to meditate and sharewhat we learn from the Cursillo. I felt the feeling of fear and anxiety passing through me like I received the Holy Spirit . We hope we can learnto be like St. Angela Merici and use her example to be closer to God. Many Blessings! Bravo !
This story and examples is just like me having the feeling of fear , anxiety throughout my body. It is like having the chills and feeling cold inside you. When there is something heavy coming my way or even difficult situations, I can sense it immediately. Thank you Thank you .
May St. Angela Merici pray for my illness and other people who are sick and those orphans , homeless. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ.