“NOAA’s outlook for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which spans from June 1 to November 30, predicts an 85% chance of an above-normal season, a 10% chance of a near-normal season and a 5% chance of a below-normal season. NOAA is forecasting a range of 17 to 25 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher).”
Being pastor of St. Michael’s Catholic Church and living at Tybee Island means that I have to pay a little more attention to certain things! Hurricanes are real things, and things that could do great destruction to people’s lives. Because of Original Sin, there is disharmony between the human race and the world God created for the human race! Thus, we have storms.
We all know that storms take many shapes and sizes, and at any given time, we are all “enduring” or riding out certain storms. “Fr., my mother has to have cancer surgery. Please pray for her.” This is a storm! “Fr., I lost my job, and we can’t pay our rent.” A storm of life. And yes, there is a significant chance that an actual, physical hurricane will head our way between now and Nov 30th. What are we to do?
We are to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus! He is Lord of Heaven and Earth, and the world He created ex nihilo (from nothing) must obey Him; even hurricanes. Sometimes we have all prayed (en voz alto), “Lord, where are you? I need you to answer this prayer; to do this or to do that! I can’t hear you. Are you listening? You said you love me. Please hear my prayer!” Yes, sometimes Jesus seems to be asleep in the boat.
But God never sleeps, even though that is our perception. He is always awake, loving us, listening to our prayers and attentive to our needs. Thus, if Jesus delays in speaking to us or in answering our prayers, it is because it is what is best for us. The delay strengthens our faith and perseverance. Then God blinks his left eye, and the storm is still. And we all fall to our knees like the apostles in the boat, and say “Who then is this, whom even the wind and sea obey?”
Welcome and congratulations to Deacon Kevin Braski, ordained last Saturday. He will give the homily at all the weekend masses for us. I will be celebrating a wedding at the Cathedral Saturday night and flying to New Orleans Sunday afternoon to do the funeral for my uncle, Curtis Rome. Thank you to Fr. Joe Smith and Fr. John Lyons who will each take a mass for St. Michael’s this weekend!
Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus! “O Lord, for the aversion of hurricanes and all storms from our shores; we pray to the Lord!”