The first invitation of Jesus to his disciples is to cross to the other side of the lake. It means to leave a known and comfortable place where they were having quiet big an impact and success among the people, where they were beginning to be famous and respected. They do so and, very important detail!, they take Jesus with them. They don’t cross alone, by themselves. They take him as he is, for sure tired and in need of peace and rest.

On their journey through the lake, the encounter a storm. That’s how life is: a journey with storms, fears, darkness, anxiety. Nobody promised it would be the easy one. To the strom on the sea, they still add the storm in their hearts and minds: they fear for they lives, they doubt the good intentions of Jesus maybe even thinking, like the Israelites on the desert, that he made them leave the safety of the slavery to kill them all at once. They wake him up, anxious and terrified. The words that Jesus directs to the sea (“Calm! Be still!”) could be as well directed to the disciples. And to each one of us, let’s be honest.

I could perfectly relate to the disciples, frightened by the storm. Jesus also invited me to cross to the other side of the lake (to the other side of the world, in my case). He made me leave my comfortable life in a place where I was already well known, settled, respected. I am still on my journey, crossing the sea, and I swear I have never expected so many storms to happen! There are times I feel tempted to think it was a mistake. In these time I almost forget that Jesus is there with me. We are in the same boat, in the same storm. And he is the only one maintaining his posture, staying cool as cucumber, while I panick, anxious and terrified. I take his words to my heart, embrace them, hold onto them, so that I may feel all their strength: “Calm! Be still!”

Life’s journeys are never peaceful. They are not meant to be. Having Jesus beside us doesn’t guarantee that we won’t encounter problems, struggles, fears. It only means that in all of it we are not alone. As long as we remember to invite him to our boat, the way he is.