This month I’ve been reflecting on the presence of God. In the Mass readings, we’ve heard some beautiful stories that invite us to reflect on this more deeply — Christ asleep in the storm on the Sea of Galilee, and Christ walking on the water.
Both give us an example we can follow in our own lives.
Sometimes we might feel like God is there, but asleep. He’s not answering our prayers. He’s not speaking to us. But like the apostles — just because we might not hear His voice doesn’t mean He isn’t with us. We can’t forget that.
With Christ walking on the water, He wasn’t in the boat at all. The apostles must have felt like he had forgotten about them. But again, just because we don’t feel His presence, or feel distant from Him, doesn’t mean He has forgotten us. We are always the apple of His eye. He is always looking out for us — even if that means giving us the space to figure something out ourselves or giving us the space to grow in faith and trust.
In any case, He is near. Nearer than we can possibly imagine. And unlike us, He is never divided in His attention. He can be totally and completely fixed on each of us, in each moment, for whatever we need.
It’s up to us to recall His presence, trust in Him, and keep our eyes on Him — no matter what storm is raging around us.
Reflections by:
Mark Quaranta
Mark Quaranta’s daily reflections, formerly known as Summons, are now The Victor’s Crown. Subscribe for free at TheVictorsCrown.com. Paid subscriptions support the work and unlock premium content. Explore Mark’s prayer journals at PrayOnPaper.com.