The readings today are a reminder of the divinity of Jesus and God’s power over nature, as seen in the Old and New Testament and in various times in history.
In the first reading, God told Job He must trust Him. He made the sea and the clouds and all of creation. He is more powerful than any storm and can stop it at His command.
The responsorial psalm states- at the Lord’s command, He raised up a storm, causing the waves to be high. However, they cried to the Lord in their distress, and so, the Lord hushed the storm to a gentle breeze, and the billows of the sea were stilled. And so, they rejoiced at the calm, and were brought to their desired haven.
This psalm foreshadowed the disciples, who cried out in their distress, as Jesus calmed the storm on the sea. When the disciples said, “Who then is this-- whom even the wind and sea obey?”, they were wondering how a man could do such things? The action of Jesus calming the storm clearly reveals His divinity. God alone, the creator of heaven and earth, can calm a storm at His command.
There are other miraculous events in the Old Testament with regard to water. Moses parted the Red Sea, so the Hebrews could escape the Egyptian army through a dry river bed. Then after they crossed, God caused the water to return drowning Egyptian soldiers. (Exodus 14:21-29)
Elijah and Elias both part the water in a river with Elijah's mantle and could walk through it. (2 Kings 2:14)
When the feet of the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant, touched the water from the Jordan River, it caused the water to stop, so all could cross without getting their feet wet, as they entered the Promised Land. (Joshua 3:13-17)
On another occasion, when the Apostles were going against the waves during a storm on the lake, Jesus walked on water and Peter stepped out of the boat and began to walk on water, until he saw the waves, and took his eyes off Jesus, then he began to sink. But, Jesus grabbed Peter’s hand and helped into the boat and the storm calmed when they got into the boat. (Matthew 14:22-33)
After Jesus died, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, has there been any more water miracles? Yes.
St. Christopher lived from the 200’s to 251. He became a hermit and built a hut near a river. As an act of charity, he helped people cross the river. One day, a small child approached him, wanting safe passage across the water. He hoisted the boy on his shoulders and, with his trusty staff, began the journey walking through the river. As the river deepened, the child began to grow heavier with waters quickly rising, the weight of the child continued to weigh down Christopher. As he reached the banks of the river, he said, “Child, you have put me in great peril; you weigh almost as if I had all the world upon me…” The little boy said, “You have not only borne all the world upon yourself, but you have borne Him that created and made all the world, upon your shoulders.” It was then he realized he had carried the Christ Child, Christopher’s name means “Christ-bearer”. Today, St. Christopher is the patron of travelers, and many people wear the St. Christopher medal or have it in their vehicle.
Born in 480 and died in 482, St. Scholastica was the sister of the monk, St. Benedict. One day, she invited her brother to her monastery. After they talked most of the day, it was getting late in the evening, when her brother, St. Benedict wanted to leave to return to his monastery of monks. But, St. Scholastica wanted him to stay up late talking about Jesus, and spiritual things. But, he was tired and wanted to leave. She began to pray. Suddenly, a violent storm began and it rained so hard, he was unable to leave through the night St. Scholastica’s prayer was answered by God, so she and her brother could talk all night about holy things.
Born in 456 and died in 545, St. Medard is the patron saint of bad weather. Legend states when he was a child, Medard was sheltered from the rain by a hovering eagle. Because of this event, he is the patron of good and bad weather, and for people who work the fields. Legend has it, if it rains on his feast day, June 8th, the next 40 days will be wet; if the weather is good, the next 40 will be fine as well.
In 1647 Father Erastius was returning by ship to Italy from Amsterdam. The ship with its crew and passengers were caught in a violent storm. He encouraged everyone to pray to St. Anthony of Padua. Then he threw some pieces of cloth that had touched a relic of St. Anthony into the sea. At once, the storm ended, the winds stopped, and the sea became calm. St. Anthony is the patron of sea travelers. And St. Anthony is attributed to creating a Prayer Against Storms.
The prayer against storms attributed to St. Anthony paused a rainstorm in Wichita on Palm Sunday, this year on March 24, 2024. Wichita had just completed its 40 Days for Life Prayer and fasting campaign to close Planned Parenthood, where many abortions take place.
I was asked to do a Eucharistic procession on Palm Sunday around Planned Parenthood, but the forecast was rain throughout the day. I emailed Catholics in Wichita the Prayer Against Storms by St. Anthony of Padua. While it kept raining, we trusted that Jesus would cause the rain to stop for the procession.
After 100 people arrived, it was still raining. But just as it was time to start, the rain stopped, and we began the Eucharistic procession. When it was over, just as everyone returned to their vehicles it started to rain again. The Prayer Against Storms by St. Anthony worked, Jesus paused the rain storm, so that we could process His Eucharistic presence around Planned Parenthood, where unborn babies die from abortion.
On January 31, 1906, on the small island of Tumaco off the coast of Columbia at 10 o’clock in the morning, the earth shook violently for almost ten minutes. Due to a tsunami, all the inhabitants of the village ran to the church and begged the pastor, Fr. Gerardo Larrondo, to lead a procession with the Blessed Sacrament. The sea plunged inland more than a half a mile and a mountainous wall of water was building up threatening to drown everyone and everything in one gigantic wave.
Fearing the church would be destroyed by water, Fr. Gerardo consumed the small Hosts in the ciborium and placed the large Host in a monstrance. The priest and the people began their march, weeping and crying out to God. Fr. Larrondo reached the beach with the monstrance in hand when he advanced courageously to the water’s edge and as the wave came rushing in-- he calmly raised the Sacred Host and with it traced the Sign of the Cross. The wave hesitated, paused and backed off. The people cried out “Miracle, miracle!”. The mighty wall of water that threatened to wipe the village of Tumaco off the face of the earth was halted and began to recede, and then the sea resumed its normal level. The inhabitants of Tumaco were overcome with joy at having been saved from death by Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Prayers of fervent thanks poured out. All the buildings of the land in the area were destroyed, except for the island of Tumaco where the miracle occurred.
On Oct. 8th of 1871, was the great Peshtigo fire in Wisconsin and Michigan. It was the greatest fire tragedy in the history of the United States killing between 1,200-2,400 people and burning 1.2 million acres. Due to the high winds and dry grounds, the fire quickly became a storm of fire and roared towards the Shrine’s grounds.
Desperate for help, people from the surrounding countryside fled to the Chapel where Sister Adele Brise and her companions were praying for Mary’s protection. Lifting the statue of Mary, they processed around the sanctuary, praying the rosary and singing hymns to Jesus and the Blessed Mother. Early the next morning, a steady rain came and extinguished the flames of the fire. Everything around the property was completely charred. But the fire came only to the fence of the land consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, containing the chapel, school and convent, where they were praying and halted. 12 years earlier on that exact date, Oct. 8th, the Virgin Mary appeared to Sr. Adele Brise, and said if the people do not convert from their sins, Her Son would punish them.
Another miracle was associated with the Peshtigo Fire.
St. Mary Church was destroyed in the fire. However, before it was destroyed, Father Pernin was able to carry the church’s wooden Tabernacle, containing the Blessed Sacrament, to the river on his wagon. He pushed the wagon partially into the river and abandoned it to save his own life. The next day, a parishioner who had also survived found Father Pernin and asked if he knew what had happened to the Tabernacle. The priest said, “This wagon had been blown over on its side by the storm; whilst the Tabernacle itself had been caught up by the wind and cast on one of the logs floating on the water. Everything in the immediate vicinity of this spot had been blackened or charred by the flames. But, the Tabernacle was saved when the wind tossed it on a log floating on water.
My friends, we have seen how by all these miracles, God wants to calm the waters of our heart and to trust Him.
St. Alphonsus said, “We are tossed about on a stormy sea, but we do not suffer shipwreck, because the Lord by His grace gives us strength to resist our enemies.” But, he also asked that we turn to Mary, saying, “Look to the star of the sea, call upon Mary … in danger, in distress, in doubt, think of Mary, call upon Mary. May her name never be far from your lips, or far from your heart … If you follow her, you will not stray; if you pray to her, you will not despair; if you turn your thoughts to her, you will not err. If she holds you, you will not fall; if she protects you, you need not fear; if she is your guide, you will not tire; if she is gracious to you, you will surely reach your destination (of heaven).”
PRAYER AGAINST STORMS
Make the sign of the cross on the + symbol.
Jesus Christ a King of Glory has come in Peace. + God became man, + and the Word was made flesh. + Christ was born of a virgin. + Christ suffered. + Christ was crucified. + Christ died. + Christ rose from the dead. + Christ ascended into Heaven. + Christ conquers. + Christ reigns. + Christ orders. + May Christ protect us from all storms and lightning. + Christ went through their midst in Peace, + and the Word was made Flesh. + Christ is with us with Mary. + Flee you enemy spirits because the Lion of the Generation of Juda, the Root of David, was won. + Holy God! + Holy Powerful God ! + Holy Immortal God! + Have mercy on us. Amen!
This prayer can be traced to St. Anthony of Padua.
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