The events in today's gospel passage follow immediately after Jesus has fed some five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. He then sends the disciples on ahead to “the other side.”

It is the same for us after every Eucharistic celebration when after having been fed and nourished we too are “sent” like the disciples on ahead to continue Jesus' ministry.

Those of us who have answered this call to serve in our families and society can understand the disciples' predicament. We need to constantly hear the words, “Courage! Do not be afraid” when we meet with trials and tribulations along the way.

To be of service to others means venturing out far into unknown waters unsure of the tide. At the beginning, the task at hand may seem to be so simple, almost smooth sailing, and we are willing to give it a try.

But at the first hint of pressure and adversity, when our boat is rocked by the headwind, we tend to falter, lose faith and are ready to give up. This is exactly what Peter did when he started to walk towards Jesus. As soon as he felt the force of the wind he became afraid and began to sink.

As I meditated on this gospel passage I pondered on the dual role of parent and teacher that many of us perform. Nurturing our charges to prepare them for the world we live in demands all the courage and strength we could muster.

Apart from providing for them materially, we are called upon to be their moral and spiritual guides, imparting positive values as we help to form their total character. Modern developments in technology with its attendant negatives to which our children are exposed have made this responsibility seem even more overwhelming.

As parents and teachers we are tossed by the winds when we are expected to make wise decisions for our children, knowing that they may not be popular ones. We often sink into hopelessness. It seems an almost impossible task to expect our children to be peaceful, to respect and appreciate the world around them when they are bombarded with hostility, aggression and selfishness.

This is true especially for some single mothers who in spite of financial hardship and limited resources have tried to bring their children up the best way they could.

On a national scale, the initiative of the Abstinence Programme to help our young people lead healthy lifestyles and make appropriate choices can be considered a plunge into deep waters.

The bashing that it has taken in recent times by adversarial quarters may prompt its advocates to become discouraged and lose faith. Helping others understand that there are alternatives to permissiveness and poor sexual behaviour requires determination and strong faith. They need to continue to have faith and courage despite sinking, like Peter, because of fear and doubts.

This becomes even more urgent and necessary when the youth in our care are made to believe that promiscuity is the “in thing.” Those adults who continue to work with young people and support them in the midst of such negativity are to be affirmed for their fearlessness. They need to hear the voice of Jesus saying to them, “Do not be afraid.”

Parent Teacher's Associations are an ideal medium to provide the strong audible voice of encouragement for those who work with our young people.

They are the extending hand like that of Jesus to support our teachers especially when they may be sinking into despair. The Church remains a source of faith and security for those who doubt and are engulfed in fear.

Members of the medical profession who continue to inform the public at large about the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases in an effort to reduce their spread are also doing their part to help and encourage healthy lifestyles.

Perhaps the clearest voice and strongest supporting arm can be found among the young people themselves whom teachers encounter in the classroom. The questions that students ask and the trust that they place in their teachers to give them the right answers say very loudly and clearly to us teachers, “Courage! Do not be afraid.”

Prayer

Lord we thank you for the young people among us who continue to be a source of encouragement and inspiration to their peers through their determination to lead a chaste life in spite of the negatives around them.

We ask your forgiveness for teachers and parents who have given up on their charges and have sunk into despair and indifference with the world around them.

We pray for those who prefer to sit on the fence hesitating to give support. Increase their faith so that like you they will strengthen others saying, “Courage! Do not be afraid!”

Therese Ragoonanan is a wife and mother of two children who teaches at San Fernando East Junior Secondary School . She is also a Eucharistic Minister at St. Andrew Kaggwa RC Church, Vistabella.