IT IS I; I AM

 

Do you remember a time in your childhood when you were really mortally afraid and all you wanted was to hear the reassuring voice of your dad or your mom? I bet you can still talk about the details of how you felt before and after — the paralyzing feeling of fright that freezes your every nerve, every muscle and even your breathing. But just as soon as you hear the voice of Dad, you just feel a sense of liberating relief knowing that you are really safe.

I bet you really did not need to hear anything but his voice. All you needed to hear was the equivalent of “It is I” (“Ako ito”), and everything suddenly felt OK.

To be honest, the English translation of what the Lord told the frightened disciples who were caught in a sudden squall in the middle of the lake does not quite do justice to the weight of meaning to that short but reassuring statement from the Lord — “I am!” “It is I” is just a statement about who exactly is the person who speaks to you right at this moment. For a non-Biblical scholar like me, the statement does not seem to fully express what the good Lord was telling the disciples. He was not telling them the equivalent of “this is Jesus.” He was telling them much more. He was assuring them that He is not just the one present, but that He is present for them; that He is much more than just a reassuring presence, but that He simply is “I am” — I am present for you; I am here to protect you; I am He who has come and who was sent. This is reminiscent of what the Lord God told Moses: “Tell them, I am has sent me to you.”

Fear is not the monopoly of young children. Adults, too, can be mortally afraid for a number of reasons. Even Pope John Paul II knew this. This is perhaps why he made the Lord’s words the starting point of his pontificate: “Be not afraid … It is I … I am!” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

Reflection Question:

In the midst of a frightening situation, whose “I am” would be enough to quell your fears?

 

Lord, thank You for being always present to us. May we learn to be mindful of Your presence every minute of our lives.

 

St. Serenidus & Serenus, pray for us.