Lord, if it is you...

When we pray, we often expect a large and obvious answer. We want God’s will to fall out of the sky so clearly that we can simply say, “Oh, that is what I should do.” God can certainly act in dramatic ways, but that is not ordinarily how we encounter him.

The prophet Elijah discovers this when God tells him to stand on the mountain and wait for the Lord to pass by. There is a powerful wind, an earthquake, and a fire, but the Lord is not in any of them. Instead, Elijah hears a light, silent sound, something so quiet that it could easily be overlooked, ignored, or missed.

Even in Elijah’s day, this was unexpected. How much more difficult is it for us, living in a world filled with noise, activity, and distraction? God may be speaking, but we are often waiting for an earthquake while ignoring the whisper.

At other times, God is directly in front of us, and we still fail to recognize him.

After Jesus multiplies the loaves, the disciples are still unsure what to make of him. Jesus sends them ahead in the boat while he withdraws alone to pray. Later, as the disciples struggle against the wind and waves, Jesus comes toward them, walking on the sea.

This is not merely an impressive miracle. In Scripture, authority over the sea belongs to God. By walking upon the water and mastering the elements, Jesus reveals something about his divine identity. Yet when the disciples see him, they do not immediately recognize him. They think he is a ghost.

Jesus reassures them: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter, characteristically impetuous, asks Jesus to command him to come across the water. His faith is genuine. He steps out of the boat and begins walking toward Christ. But when he notices the strength of the wind, fear overwhelms his faith. He begins to sink and cries out, “Lord, save me!”

Jesus immediately reaches out and catches him.

Peter’s faith is real, but it is still growing. His experience resembles our own. We may truly believe and still become frightened. We may begin by looking toward Christ, only to become preoccupied with the storm around us. Faith does not mean that we never doubt or fear. It means that when we begin to sink, we know whom to call upon.

Through what they have seen, the disciples come to a deeper faith. They worship Jesus and declare, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

Faith, however, does not end with recognizing who Jesus is. It must bear fruit in love.

Recognizing Jesus as the Son of God is a cause of profound joy. Yet that joy can also be accompanied by sorrow when those we love do not share it. Saint Paul speaks of the “great sorrow and constant anguish” he feels because many of his own people have not accepted Christ. His love is so great that he says he could wish himself cut off from Christ if it would bring about their salvation.

Paul cannot actually save others by separating himself from Christ, but his words reveal the depth of his charity. He is willing to suffer for those who do not yet believe. This is more than ordinary human affection. It is the love of Christ taking shape within him.

May the Lord give us attentive hearts to recognize his quiet voice, faith to trust him in the storm, and charity to desire the salvation of every person he places in our lives.