IT doesn’t seem that long ago that I stood on a prairie field as a storm began to roll in. The words spoken in my heart then became the defining “now word” that would form the basis of this apostolate for the next 18 years:
There is a Great Storm coming upon the earth like a hurricane.
That was 2006. Shortly after, another interior word pointed to the dimensions of this Storm as being the seven seals of Revelation as described in its sixth chapter. The first seal is a rider on a white horse who went out “conquering and to conquer.” Various interpreters have given this rider a nefarious intent. However, Pope Pius XII saw it differently:
He is Jesus Christ. The inspired evangelist [St. John] not only saw the devastation brought about by sin, war, hunger and death; he also saw, in the first place, the victory of Christ. —POPE PIUS XII, Address, November 15, 1946; footnote of The Navarre Bible, “Revelation”, p.70 [1]In the Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary (1859) following the Douay-Rheims Latin-English translation, it says: “A white horse, such as conquerors used to ride upon at a solemn triumph. This is commonly understood as our Saviour, Christ, who, by himself and by his apostles, preachers, martyrs, and other saints, triumphed over all the adversaries of His Church. He had a bow in his hand, the doctrine of the gospel, piercing like an arrow the hearts of the hearers; and the crown given him, was a token of the victory of him who went forth conquering, that he might conquer… The other horses that follow represent the judgments and punishment, that were to fall on the enemies of Christ and his Church…”
Of course, this isn’t dogma. But it’s beautiful and true that, no matter what follows this white horse, it will always be used by God to further His victory and triumph over evil. 
As I compare the news headlines to the rest of St. John’s narrative, I am astonished at how all the seals are coalescing at the very same time: global war (2nd seal); hyperinflation/economic collapse (3rd seal); famine and pandemics (4th seal); persecution (5th seal)… all leading to what sounds exactly like what Catholic mystics have described as a “great shaking of consciences”, “illumination of conscience”, or “Warning” (6th seal). This will bring us to the “eye of the Storm”, the seventh seal:
When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. (Rev 8:1) (see Timeline)
Many are asking, if not begging, as to when the Warning will come. All I can say is that, if the Storm is “like a hurricane”, then the closer we get to the Eye of the Storm, the more intense the winds of chaos will become. Events will pile on, one upon another, until humanity is brought to its knees — like the prodigal son. We’re not there yet.[2]cf. watch: Why the Warning? Moreover, we’re not collectively at a point where we are ready to come to our senses:
Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” (Luke 15:17-18)
Hence, what ought we to be doing now?
Imitate the Lord of the Storm
What comes to mind is the familiar image of Jesus sleeping in the boat during a bad storm while the Apostles panicked.[3]Luke 8:22-25 When He awoke, Jesus rebuked both the storm and their lack of faith. 
How do you, then, reimagine that scene and how the Apostles should have behaved? Is the answer not simply to have imitated the Lord? Jesus abandoned himself so perfectly into the hands of His Father that He literally fell “asleep”.
Speaking for myself, I’d rather be on the lookout for big waves or baling water with a pail. In other words, somehow “in control.” So too, many today are obsessed with “storm watching”, ie. reading news headlines and “doom scrolling” for the next bad thing. Others are madly storing up food, supplies and weapons in order to take matters into their own hands when the collapse comes.
Don’t get me wrong — we need to be practical and prudent. The fact that Jesus was in the boat in the first place meant that He didn’t just expect the Father to transport Him everywhere in the blink of an eye (like Philip in today’s first reading). No, Jesus was practical while simultaneously immersed entirely in the Father’s love — and all that implied.
This is such a beautiful lesson and pathway for us, no matter what storm we face. When we cannot stop the waves of confusion, debt, sickness, suffering, betrayal, division, etc. from coming overboard, the only answer is really to throw ourselves into the arms of the Heavenly Father and rest. And nor does resting in God mean either complacency or inaction or even denying our emotions. Rather, it’s only in that interior peace and abandonment that true apostolic work is possible: the calming of every storm. And this calming is not a matter of draining the lake, so to speak, as if we can put an end to the problem. Rather, it is a matter of bringing the waves under our emotional control such that our suffering serves to carry us to safe harbor, not sink us. The reason I can write about this is not because I have mastered this but precisely because I have suffered so much by having not!
Yes, how hard it is to live this! How hard it is to let go! How difficult it is not to obsess over this or any other storm. But being nailed to this cross of faith is Real Christianity. There is no other Way. The alternative is to simply panic… and what good fruit has that ever borne?
Ministry Moving Forward
So here I am — forced to lie upon this cross as my future and the future of this ministry are more uncertain than ever. There was a time when I could not turn off the “tap” of God’s word that gushed through my soul to the point where I could’ve written every day. But The Now Word comes in trickles lately. Perhaps this in itself is a sign of the times….
At the same time, I receive letters every day from readers who look to this ministry for strength and guidance in these turbulent hours. I will therefore remain at my post as long as the Lord permits (or the government permits since, in Canada at least, our freedom of speech hangs by a fine thread).
A few months ago, I appealed to my readership for your financial support. The Now Word remains a full-time endeavour for me as there is still so much work to do. About 1% of my readers responded, which is why I am forced to make a second appeal already (normally, I wait until late Fall). I know these are hard times and that they’re only getting harder. My appeal is not to those of you who are struggling to put food on the table but to those who are able to contribute to this apostolate. So many of you have, and I am grateful beyond words for your immense charity, love, and prayers over the years. (For those able, you can donate here either one-time or monthly).
Only God knows the timetable of this Storm. For my part, then, I remain upon the watchman’s wall to speak His Word until He calls me home or to another mission. To that extent, I sense Him inviting us now:
Come, then, and rest with Me in the stern of this Great Ship. Fear not the waves of this or any other storm. Remain in Me and I will remain in you, and we will remain in the Father’s love and perpetual care.
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Footnotes
| ↑1 | In the Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary (1859) following the Douay-Rheims Latin-English translation, it says: “A white horse, such as conquerors used to ride upon at a solemn triumph. This is commonly understood as our Saviour, Christ, who, by himself and by his apostles, preachers, martyrs, and other saints, triumphed over all the adversaries of His Church. He had a bow in his hand, the doctrine of the gospel, piercing like an arrow the hearts of the hearers; and the crown given him, was a token of the victory of him who went forth conquering, that he might conquer… The other horses that follow represent the judgments and punishment, that were to fall on the enemies of Christ and his Church…” |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | cf. watch: Why the Warning? |
| ↑3 | Luke 8:22-25 |