But in the friendship and love of God we find we can survive and even grow through them, especially the troubles we have little control over. Even when Jesus was asleep the apostles felt his protective presence.

They found calm only when they were in the middle of the storm. We will find Jesus in the middle also of our storms, when we try not to hide our troubles from him. This was how Job got a bit better in the first reading – his friends were trying to help him avoid his troubles, like take a few drinks, enter a transitory relationship – all the things we do to avoid our troubles. In the middle of the tempest, God spoke to them.

We sit with him in prayer and let him know how we are, and just allow his calm come over us. We find courage and hope at the Mass and other sacraments, like the great peace of a young man when he received the anointing of the sick, who had left church practice for years; Or the help we can get from the community of people in parish and in the church at bad times. It gives us the courage and strength to deal with what are storms in our lives.