The storms of human life have the power to sweep us away— if we do not cling to our relationship with Jesus and trust him. 

In his Sunday, Aug. 9 homily post, Father Anthony Okolo of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Scottsdale, Arizona, used the famous gospel story of Christ and his disciples on a boat out at sea during a storm to remind people of the power of faith.

The storm was raging as St. Peter stepped out of the boat and started walking toward Jesus on the water. 

“What do we do when being ravaged by the turbulent waves of adversity?" Fr. Okolo asked his parishioners in the post. "Do we have that faith of St. Peter to stretch out our hands to cling to Jesus?”

All human beings meet seemingly impossible challenges during life. Stormy marriages, straying children and devastating diseases are some examples. 

“Some of us run away from God, like Elijah the Prophet," Okolo said. When faced with violent opposition, Elijah “gave himself up to despair and hid in a cave.” God called out to Elijah. What saved Elijah in the end was his attentiveness to God. Elijah was able to hear God’s voice— even in his despair— because he was attentive.

“When we face opposition of any kind like Elijah did, do we pause to hear God’s voice calling us out or do we run away from God and shut our doors and ears and mind against God?” Fr. Okolo asked.

“Especially in times of turmoil we need strong faith in his mighty power and in his presence,” Okolo said. In order to weather the storms of life, we need more than a belief in Jesus. We need a relationship with Jesus.

“This relationship is more than belief that assures us that he is with us," Okolo said. "It is more of an experience of his divine presence itself than just an acceptance of dogmatic pronouncement about him."

Strong faith in Jesus, however, will not eliminate our difficulties. 

[Srong faith] “will give us the strength to cope with [the difficulties],” Okolo said.“It will let enough light filter through to allow us to recognize Christ's presence in that darkness.”

The message that Fr. Okolo asked his listeners to take away is the promise of Jesus that he gave to the disciples as the storm raged around their boat. 

“Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid,” Okolo quoted the Lord. Jesus is there, near us, during every moment of our lives.

“When we experience the storms of life, Jesus reassures us that he is near," Fr. Okolo concludes. "Let us fix our eyes on him and stretch out our hands to cling to him. When we cling to Jesus in our trouble, he will not allow us to sink.”