Facing the Storm with Christ

Aug 12, 2021 Irene Lamunu Leading Opinions 0

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FR. BERNADINE NGANZI AMOOTI

I t is no news that all human beings due to different reasons at one time or another find themselves grappling with “storms”. Without any doubt in my mind, I may and well call them our occasional companions. The said storms come in various forms. They find us in all places you can imagine. Some pounce on us without prior warning and get us off guard. A storm according to me means any situation, circumstance, incident, event, thing….. that or which scares, intimidates or threatens us extremely and makes us feel uneasy and uncomfortable. That which makes us feel we are about to take our last breath!! A storm thence can come as sickness, an accident, a disaster, a failed relationship, death of a relative or loved one, you name it. On facing a storm, a person of little or weak faith might feel it’s the end of the road. He/she might lose hope or even surrender. Since early 2019, the whole world has been “stormed” by Covid-19. There is no single human being who is not affected by it. We are on edge asking all kinds of questions like: is the world coming to an end? Has God forgotten us? Has He abandoned us? Are we paying for our sins? Etc??? These are indeed mind boggling questions not easy to answer satisfactorily. I am reminded of Job in the Bible, a devout and upright man of God who upon finding himself beset with calamities and misfortunes started to throw questions and complaints, to long to meet God so as to speak, discuss and argue with Him in order to defend his cause. We are surely no better than him so to speak. We are in a precarious situation; puzzled, confused, overwhelmed but hopeful that the medicine for Covid-19 will be found. We are tempted to think God is no longer interested in us. He is of out of touch, indifferent, unconcerned, uncaring!! This is not TRUE. God to whom nothing is impossible (Almighty) through chapters 38, 39 and 40 of the book of Job, made Himself visible and audible by confronting Job with questions not with terror. As expected, He won for He always knows best and never fails. The “storm” that shook Job up did not part him with God. In his own way sounding like St Paul, he was asking himself which “storm” could separate him with the love of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:35). Would you say the same? Jesus’ apostles in Matthew 8:23-27 and in mark 4:35-41 were met with a violent “storm” and fortunately, Jesus who was with them in the same boat calmed the storm to their utter shock!! You and I have the same Jesus in our Church (boat). The storm threatening us since 2019 call it mother of all “storms” is Covid-19. Let us remember that Jesus who is always present in the “storms”of life is still with us. At times, He seems asleep but He’s NOT. He’s always wide awake. As we continue to pray, hope and observe standard operating procedures (SOPS), let us cease worrying. Jesus Himself tells us not to worry about what to eat or wear for He supplies all our basic unmet needs (Mathew 6:25-34). Trusting in His providence is all we need. In His own time which is always correct, He will definitely give a decisive blow to Covid-19 as He has done with all the previous pandemics, for instance the one of 1941 in Europe. My fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord, let this time thence be an opportunity to devout more time to prayer both in community and in private. Let us not fear to cry out to Him the way the apostles caught in the storm did. As He helped them then, so will He help us now. Remember, He is the same yesterday, today and forever. At that time, we shall hold our Heads high, laugh at Covid-19 and say “Covid-19, where is your sting?”

FR. BERNADINE NGANZI AMOOTI is Fort Portal Diocese

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