Jesus is Our Destination

Homily for Saturday of the Second Week in Easter

Each of the Gospels contains a story about a rough night at sea. Did you notice anything different about how John tells this story?

In the other Gospels, Jesus calms the storm with a word. But John tells the story differently. He doesn’t mention the wind stopping or the waves settling. Instead, he focuses on one decisive moment: “They wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore.”

John is teaching something the Synoptics don’t emphasize. For Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the miracle is what Jesus does to the storm. For John, the miracle is what Jesus’ presence does to the disciples.

John’s Gospel is always inviting us to look beneath the surface. The sea, the darkness, the strong wind—these are real, but they also symbolize the forces that unsettle the human heart. And John’s point is striking: the storm may still rage, but once Jesus is welcomed, the disciples arrive at their destination. They don’t conquer the storm; they are carried through it.

This is a word many of us need. We often pray for the storm to stop. Sometimes it does. But sometimes it doesn’t. John reassures us that even when the waves don’t calm, Christ can still bring us where we need to be. The real peace is not the absence of trouble but the presence of Jesus.

So this morning, the invitation is simple and profound: Welcome Him into the boat.  Not because He will always silence the wind, but because He will never fail to guide you to the shore.