Christ in the Storm: An Extraordinary Blessing for a Suffering World
About this ebook
“Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?”—Mark 4:40
As he calmed the storm at sea, Jesus reproached the apostles for their lack of faith. On March 27, 2020, Pope Francis used the Gospel passage as a sign of God’s forgiveness and healing during the Extraordinary Urbi et Orbi Blessing from an empty St. Peter’s Square. Even more than a year later, the Holy Father’s words offer hope to a world that continues to fight its way back from the COVID-19 darkness.
Christ in the Storm is the first book on the Pope’s powerful and hopeful message during what we now know was just the beginning of the worldwide pandemic. This beautifully designed hardcover book gathers color photos, readings, the pope’s homily and blessing, and also provides explanation of the symbolism and history throughout the event to create a powerful reminder that Jesus is always with us and that God’s love never fails. It is not only a stunning keepsake of the Holy Father’s important blessing, but more importantly a prayer resource you will return to again and again.
An Urbi et Orbi Blessing (Urbi et Orbi means “to the city and to the world”) is usually reserved for Christmas and Easter, but Pope Francis used his powerful and moving message to unite the world in prayer in the wake of the coronavirus. History will remember the dramatic images of the Holy Father walking alone in St. Peter’s Square at twilight in the rain and his profound words of hope.
The Pope said,
"Faith begins when we realize we are in need of salvation. We are not self-sufficient; by ourselves we flounder: we need the Lord, like ancient navigators needed the stars. Let us invite Jesus into the boats of our lives. Let us hand over our fears to him so that he can conquer them. Like the disciples, we will experience that with him on board there will be no shipwreck. Because this is God’s strength: turning to the good everything that happens to us, even the bad things. He brings serenity into our storms, because with God life never dies."
In addition to reading about the historical background of the event, you also will learn the significance of elements of the unique and deeply moving service, including
- the icon of Mary, Health of the Roman People
- the Miraculous Crucifix
- plenary indulgence
- prayers such as the Litany of Supplication
- Eucharistic Adoration
- Chants such as the Tantum Ergo
Ratings and reviews
About the author
Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to parents of Italian descent. He was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1969, ordained auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992, installed as bishop in 1998, and elevated to cardinal in 2001. He was elected by the College of Cardinals in March 2013 as the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church and took the name Francis for St. Francis of Assisi. He is the first Jesuit pope, the first pope from the Americas, and the first non-European pope in more than twelve centuries.
John L. Allen Jr. is a Vatican expert and editor of Crux.
Timothy P. O’Malley is a Catholic theologian, author, and professor. He serves as the associate director for research at the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame and academic director of the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy. He regularly teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in sacramental theology, marriage and family, catechesis, and spirituality. O’Malley earned his bachelor’s degree in theology and philosophy and his master’s degree in theology with a concentration in liturgical studies from the University of Notre Dame. He earned a doctorate in theology and education from Boston College, where he wrote on liturgical formation in the writings of Augustine of Hippo. O’Malley is the author of many books, including three award-winning books published by Ave Maria Press: Off the Hook: God, Love, Dating, and Marriage in a Hookup World; Real Presence: What Does It Mean and Why Does It Matter?; and Becoming Eucharistic People: The Hope and Promise of Parish Life. His most recent book, Behold, Believe, Become: Meeting the Hidden Christ in Things We See, Say, and Do at Mass, has also been well received. He has written for scholarly journals, the McGrath Institute for Church Life’s Church Life Journal, and popular magazines throughout the United States. O’Malley is the lead investigator on two grants from the Lilly Foundation: one related to preaching and the other to children and worship. These grants pertain to his interest in cultivating a contemplative and sacramental imagination in an age dominated by technology, spectacle, and polarization. He lives with his family in the South Bend, Indiana, area.
