4th after Epiphany - 31 Jan 1954
31 January 1954, St. John’s Chapel
Matthew 8:23-24: “And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.”
In the Gospel for today (Matthew 8:23-34) we read about the storm in the Sea of Galilee which the disciples experienced. It must have been a very severe storm. Our Lord never promised His disciples safety or security, or freedom from anxiety or grief. “In the world ye shall have tribulations,” our Lord told the disciples. It worried them that they would have to face dangers and hardship, But He promised them strength and support in every situation. There is no place in the world that is so sheltered that it is immune from storms. Men have sought security in the solitude of deserts and mountains. Neither riches nor poverty can escape the stress and strain of life. Life will not be different for me because I have been baptised. The storms that have swept over others will sweep over me. The temptations within and without which others have will be mine. But I have been baptised in order to be strong enough for the trouble to come.
In the Collect for today we pray that God may support us in all dangers. We realise that we are in the midst of so many dangers, and that we are not able in our own strength to face them. So we pray to God to give us strength to support us in all dangers. We may note that in our prayer we do not ask to be delivered from dangers, but for power to support us in all dangers. The Sacrament of Holy Communion is a divinely appointed means of grace by which we receive God’s strength to withstand temptations and to face every kind of danger in our life. God’s grace can help us to stand upright though we are set in the midst of so many dangers. Let us bring before Him our fears and anxieties and ask Him to strengthen our faith in Him.