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First Reading: 1 Kings 19:9A, 11-13A
Responsorial: Psalm 85:9-14
Second Reading: Romans 9:1-5
Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080920.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/
I think we can all agree that 2020 has so far been a crazy year! And the year isn’t over yet! Everything has been up ended and undoubtedly many of our plans have been slowed down or completely derailed this year.
This year has been a powerful reminder that we are not in control. And that lack of control can cause us great anxiety. We see that playing out in the social unrest particularly in the United States. What happens when we start to get nervous or anxious? We circle the wagons. We become defensive. As we seek to protect ourselves and our families, we are convinced that we are right and they are wrong – whoever “they” are (protestors, anti-maskers and pro-maskers, conservatives or liberals). It doesn’t matter what it is. It’s our effort to try to regain our sense of control.
But disasters continue to strike.
Whether it’s a New Zealand volcano, or wildfires in Australia or California, locusts in Africa, flooding and earthquakes in Puerto Rico, to COVID-19, when natural disasters strike, great uncertainty rises.
Some people have suggested to me that everything we’re experiencing are punishments by God – that God is trying to get our attention. But our first reading from 1 Kings, I think, refutes this idea. Elijah couldn’t find God in the strong and heavy winds. He couldn’t find Him in the earthquake, and he couldn’t find Him in the fire.
Even the disciples into today’s Gospel reading from Matthew undoubtedly experienced anxiety and fear as their boat was being tossed around by the waves. Why were they anxious? Maybe it’s because they realized they have no control.
Just as Elijah found God in a whispering sound, so too did the disciples catch the whisper of a image on the waters. They were so consumed with fear and doubt that they assumed it was a ghost. Can you picture this scene? Here’s a group of grown men who are devout believers in God and who follow Jesus, in a boat being tossed around by the waves. What did they do? They started screaming with fear.
Jesus speaks to them almost as if to say, “Get ahold of yourselves, men!” But is it really Jesus? Peter decides to test Jesus by saying that if it was Jesus, he could command Peter to come out to him. It’s almost as if Jesus shrugs and says, “sure, come out!” And Peter does, but as soon as he feels the wind on him – as soon as his confidence is shaken by what’s going on around him – he starts to sink. Only then does he call out and beg the Lord for help.
Jesus reaches out to Peter and steadies him. Isn’t that awesome?
Isn’t that just like life? Sometimes crap happens. We can choose to run around screaming like people of little faith, like the disciples in the boat, or we can keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. We may not know what will happen next or how things will get sorted out. But when we place our faith in Jesus and not in our sense of control, then it doesn’t matter what life throws at us. We can weather any storm.
Does that mean it’s going to be easy? No, of course not! Maybe everything going on causes us to look at our expenses. Maybe we need to reach out for help. Maybe we need to let our adult children move back home for a while. Maybe we need to put a little more away into savings. Maybe that means that we need to have actual conversations with those we don’t agree with – you know the kind where sometimes you get to speak and other times you need to listen to what the other person says? Whatever it is, we can face it because Jesus is with us and he won’t let us sink.
Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions this week:
- Do I place more faith in Jesus than in my plans?
- How do I share the good news with others that Jesus will help us in good times and bad?
I think doing our homework today will strengthen our faith as disciples. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!
Image Credit: Jesus walks on the water, by Ivan Aivazovsky (1888). JPEG file.
This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: Public domain. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or fewer. This photographic reproduction is therefore also considered to be in the public domain in the United States. Faithful reproduction photographs are not subject to copyright in Switzerland.
References:
1. Hahn, Scott W. and Curtis Mitch. Romans. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017.
2. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.
3. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.
Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. History of the covenants; God’s love for Israel, 54-64, 121-22, 218-19
2. Faith experiences testing, 164
3. Only faith can follow mysterious ways of providence, 272-74
4. Jesus the divine Son, 444
5. Jesus the divine Lord, 448-49
6. In difficult times, cultivate trust that all is subject to Christ, 671-72
7. The Church and the Jewish people, 839-40
8. Faith and doubt, 2088
9. Moses, the mediator and intercessor, 2574-77
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080920.cfm
Lectionary: 115
Reading 1
1 Kings 19:9A, 11-13A
At the mountain of God, Horeb,
Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter.
Then the LORD said to him,
“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;
the LORD will be passing by.”
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains
and crushing rocks before the LORD—
but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake—
but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was fire—
but the LORD was not in the fire.
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 85:9-14
R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD — for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Reading 2
Romans 9:1-5
Brothers and sisters:
I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie;
my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness
that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ
for the sake of my own people,
my kindred according to the flesh.
They are Israelites;
theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
theirs the patriarchs, and from them,
according to the flesh, is the Christ,
who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
Alleluia Psalm 130:5
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I wait for the Lord;
my soul waits for his word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 14:22-33
After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”
