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Appleton, WI

Jun 20 Homily Connect: Put Jesus at the Center of Your Storm

Scripture: Jb 38:1, 8-11   2Cor 5:14-17   Mk 4:35-41  

My Prayer Space

  • For twelves years icon of Jesus calming the winds
  • Nadine gifted me with a similar icon (which she painted, wrote)
  • I’m gifting Bishop Dan Felton with my first icon
  • Bishop Dan lives on the shores of Lake Superior-will witness storms
  • Nadines’ icon is in the sanctuary if you would like to see her masterpiece

A stormy time for me

  • A prostate cancer diagnosis in 2009
  • My first 54 years – practically perfect health I took for granted
  • Hearing the cancer word creates anxiety and fear
  • You have no control – only in the Lord and the skilled doctors and nurses
  • I trusted, tried to stay calm and prayed a lot more than normally
  • Our tendency- to pray when we really need him – we need to connect with Him everyday

After Surgery

  • No recurrence of cancer
  • I created a card to send to others struggling with cancer, physical or emotional illness
  • Cover is Jesus calming the storm-Jesus reaching out his hand to Peter as he drowns
  • Inside: Draw me to you, Lord save me.  Draw me to you, take my hand. Draw me to you, lift me up.  Draw me to you, set me free. Draw me to you, make me well.

Unwelcomed storms

  • The past 15 months, storms from all directions
  • The virus – wearing masks, isolation, anxiety, incredible number of deaths
  • Healthcare professionals – brutally battered in every part of the world
  • Last summer both peaceful and non-peaceful demonstrators
  • Dealing with our terrifying treatment of black and Asians brothers and sisters
  • We were rocked by what happened on January 6th

DID YOU TURN TO JESUS – WHERE IS JESUS DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES?

  • Upsetting to imagine Jesus sleeping in the boat
  • We cry out “Jesus don’t you care if we parish?”

St. PETER’S SQUARE – MARCH 27, 2020

  • Pope Francis said: “One of the things that hurts us and our families is when we hear it said, “Do you not care about me?’ It is a phrase that wounds and unleashes storms in our hearts. It would have shaken Jesus, too. Because, Jesus more than anyone, cares about us. Once the disciple call upon Jesus. He saves them from discouragement.”

WHATEVER THE STORM JESUS IS CLOSE

  • He invites us to trust – He gives us strength day to day
  • He suffers with us – Invites us to place our fears, despair, doubts into his heart
  • When we do, a peace can come over us

BISHOP FRANCIS de SALLES – WOMEN GOING TO THE WELL – 17TH CENTURY

  • Women bring pails to well would fill with water and 
  • Then drop a cross in pail where it floated on top Why?
  • Women reported to Bishop – “The cross at the center of the pail always kept the water from sloshing over the sides!”

PUT JESUS AT THE CENTER OF YOUR STORM – TURN TO HIM

  • Share your struggles and fears
  • Jesus will give you his peace, calm, healing, hope
  • Every moment, day, year – Jesus is close – Never stops loving us
  • Remember during the storms of our lives

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

  • What impacted you from the readings/homily?
  • Where did you turn in the storm of the past 15 months? Did you find comfort there?
  • In other storms of your life, was Jesus there for you?  In what ways?
  • What do you do in your life to remind you of Jesus’ constant presence?  

LIVE CONNECTED

Reflect on Jesus’ presence during storms in your life. Share your story with another who might be going through a storm currently.