Today's Gospel Reading

Gospel
Mt 14:22-33
   
After he had fed the people, Jesus made  the disciples get into a boat
    and precede him to the other side,
    while he dismissed the crowds.
    After doing so, he went up on the  mountain by himself to pray.
    When it was evening he was there alone.
    Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles  offshore,
    was being tossed about by the waves, for  the wind was against it.
    During the fourth watch of the night,
    he came toward them walking on the sea.
    When the disciples saw him walking on  the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they  cried out in fear.
    At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take  courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come  to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to  walk on the water toward Jesus.
    But when he saw how strong the wind was  he became frightened;
    and, beginning to sink, he cried out,  “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand  and caught Peter,
    and said to him, “O you of little faith,  why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind  died down.
    Those who were in the boat did him  homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”
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When I was going through my beloved Dad's things, one of the (many!) things I came across was a little gray triangle - something that had once been an extra piece on a box,probably a tissue box, that he had cut out neatly and then used it to jot down a note (and ya wonder where I get that from ;) !).  And what he had written on there was this:  BE NOT AFRAID  I go before you always  Come follow me

As soon as I saw it, of course, I recognized it:  the words to a very popular hymn often played in Catholic churches.  I knew my Dad just well enough to figure out what had happened:  it was time for Mass; when he went, this particular song stuck with him; ergo, he came home and jotted it down.

I have it with me now :  in fact, its in the "Dad memorial area" of where I'm living at currently.

I'm about as afraid as often as I wear purple, to be honest ... in the past, I would go to my Daddy, and he would help me, figure it out, fix it so it lay right ... I don't have that now.  And my Dad was often bewildered by the change in the times ; he had raised me with a firm belief that - someday - he would meet the guy to turn his daughter over to, the guy who would cover her with love and help and be right next to her as she walked through things.  Except that never happened - false alarms - but the world and the people in it had changed so dammed much ...

What I have today are Dad's writing on a triangular piece of cardboard.  Jeannee, don't be afraid ... remember the words of this song that you love, too ... and remember that - even tho your beloved Dad isn't here physically anymore - God always is !  

If you're reading this, know that I don't have an "exclusive" on God being with me - that you, too, have that +