Not everyone of us has that thirst or desire to see what is on the other side. For many there is something very attractive about a church that is very established, runs smoothly and has things in order. But being established and having a smooth operation can also indicate a sedentary church: happy with the status quo, unwilling to take prophetic stands on issues that might rock the boat.

On Thursday of this past week Seton Academy was here for the closing school Mass. I was saying good bye to the 3rd grade when a little girl said something that really rocked my boat, not that I had never heard the question before but that the question was so sincere and came from the innocence of an 8 or 9 year old. She told me the name of her small parish and she said she heard it might be closed because there are so few priests and then she said, “we have a deacon and we like him and his wife, why can’t he be our priest? And why can’t a woman be a priest?” I’m not sure if her question came from her own imagination or was it a reflection of a conversation heard at home? It was impossible to respond at that moment. How does one explain the theology of vocation and the tradition of celibacy to a 9 year old as she is leaving for summer vacation? But it strikes me that her question is one that is rocking the boat.

In the early 1980's our diocese had 120 active priests. By the turn of the century we only had 90 and now we number in the 70's, many of whom are nearing or past retirement age. In the very near future there will be only 50 priests and over 100 parishes. In the voice of that little girl I heard both panic and sadness. What will happen to this boat we call the church as it endures this storm?

It is quite clear that the early church faced many turbulent storms in its first days. The first disciples could have been prudent, kept their new found faith to themselves and stayed out of trouble. But they followed the One who was always inviting them to get up and move to the next challenge. That is what Jesus does today, he gets up to move and invites those he has been teaching, “Let us cross to the other side.” Jesus has not stopped inviting us to leave behind the comfortable, get in the boat and move on. Should we encounter any storms along the way, he will be there with us, even though he sometimes seems asleep! His sleeping is a detail in the story we cannot dismiss too easily. When our trials and difficulties are severe, as they are these days for the church, we might want to demand of Christ, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” As it turns out in the gospel even though the disciples were over come with panic, Jesus did not feel their panic even though he was in the boat with them. He was not afraid. We are afraid. Jesus spoke a word of rebuke to the wind and said to the sea, “Quiet? Be still!” Mark tells us “the wind ceased and there was a great calm.” The story challenges us to trust in God’s power especially when storms confront us. When you have faith, you give up the need to be in control. You trust in God and where God is taking you.

I do not know the answers the world’s or to the church’s fears and storms. But I do feel challenged to turn to Christ who does care for God’s storm-tossed children and ask him to speak a word of calm. Perhaps, in the midst of our storms, Jesus is already speaking a healing word. Perhaps his voice is that of a 9 year old little girl. As Church it is important for us to practice better listening. To stop listening and following the shouting, stormy voices around us and take God’s Word more to heart and mind. Listen. Jesus is speaking right now in the midst of all the storms we face - whether they are storms in our church or in or personal lives. Jesus is speaking, “Quiet! Be still!” Together, let us listen to what God is saying to us.