August 13, 2013

August 13, 2017
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time A
1 Kings 19: 9, 11-13; Romans 9: 1-5;  Matthew 14: 22-33

What is the main reason people have a hard time in being aware that God is always with them?  Thy are certainly many reasons.  One reason some share is that they do not feel they are that important to God.  They look at their life and realize that they have a lot of warts and pitfalls that have led them into not being people who are Christ-centered.  Why should God like them when they do not like all of the people in their life?  They say, ‘If God is love and I am not, why would God care about me?’  It seems to be a constant battle with a poor image of themselves as Christians.  Today’s readings present situations where this lack of self respect is addressed.

In today’s reading from the first book of Kings, the prophet Elijah is convinced there  is nothing more he can do for the Lord.  What had happened —  Ahab had become king of Israel and reigned for twenty-two years.  …”Ahab, son of Omri, did evil in the sight of the Lord more than any of his predecessors.  It was not enough for him to imitate the sins of Jeroboam, son Nebat.  He even married Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians, and went over to the veneration and worship of Baal.”   Jezebel also took it upon herself to murder the prophets of the Lord.  Elijah was commissioned to be God’s spokesperson or prophet.  Elijah calls for a showdown between the 450 pagan prophets of the pagan god, Baal versus himself and God.  Whichever god sent fire to ignite a sacrifice would be the real ‘god.’  The Lord sent fire down to consume Elijah’s bull.  Then the people followed the Lord God and Elijah slit the throats of all these false prophets.  Then Elijah ran, knowing Jezebel’s fury was coming.   Elijah had lost faith in his mission and in God’s protection.  We do the same.  He even prayed for God to take his life.  We wonder where God is and we feel alone and neglected.  The story is found in Chapter 18 of the first book of Kings. (Please take time to read this exciting passage).

God has different plans.  The prophet makes a forty day journey to Horeb, we know it as Mount Sinai, where God will speak to him.  How, he didn’t know.  Today’s reading recounts what happened:  First there was a strong and heavy wind, maybe like a hurricane; then an earthquake, and then fire and God wasn’t in them.  “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.”  God was associated with a ‘tiny whispering sound.’  These suggest that God can be present in quiet and peaceful ways too.  Elijah is now back working for the Lord and his first assignment is to appoint his successor, Elisha.

Paul is experiencing problems too.  He is worried and anxious over the resistance that he sees in the hearts of so many of his Israelites.  How could they possibly reject Jesus?  All the prophesies point to the Messiah and what He will be.  He sees a serious problem for his readers in view of God’s specific preparation of Israel for the advent of the Messiah  Paul points to what the essential question is:  how the divine plan is being  frustrated by Israel’s unbelief.  Paul is even discouraging both complacency and anxiety on the part of the Gentiles.  His conclusion is that only unbelief can deprive one of salvation.  Do I trust God?  Do I trust  in God’s plan for all creation?  Do I think that I could do better?  Where is this all heading?  Paul continues to remind the people that God has chosen them.  God has chosen each us by our Baptism.  Do we doubt God?  If He has chosen us, aren’t we special and important?

This doubt is graphically brought out in Jesus’ encounter with Peter.  He had heard of the beheading of John the Baptist by Herod.  Jesus went by Himself in a boat across the Sea of Galilee.  The crowds followed Him and wanted attention.  He cured their sick.  They were hungry after a day catching up with Jesus and Jesus fed them with five loaves and two fish, five thousand were fed and satisfied.  Then Jesus sent the apostles away in a boat and dismissed the crowds and went up the mountain to pray.  During the fourth watch, between 3 am and 6 am, Jesus came walking on the water. The apostles on seeing Him were terrified.  Matthew inserts in Mark’s version Peter’s attempt to walk on the water.  Jesus said, “Take courage it is I; do not be afraid…Come…”  Peter attempted to but because of the strong wind and waves, he was afraid and fell into the water.  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.’”  Why did Peter doubt?  Many say that Peter was overwhelmed by the force of the rough sea.  They say that Peter lost his focus on Jesus and began to sink.  One commentator said that maybe Peter’s real mistake was just getting out of the boat.  Who really did he think that he was.  He knew this lake.  He was well aware of the fierce storms that came up suddenly. Did he think that He could do what only God could do?  Jesus is coming to the boat, so the boat will be safe.  Real faith demands that one stays in the boat.  Peter failed to realize that Jesus was God.  His trust learned a tremendous lesson today.  It is not about him, it is about God.  Do I believe God, do I trust God?  Connections, The newsletter of ideas, resources and information for homilist and preachers states today, “We panic.  We don’t trust ourselves to know what the right thing is or our ability to do it.  But, somehow, God reaches out and catches us - if we’re willing to put aside our fears and try to do as Jesus would do, trusting in God’s grace to realize that good.  Today’s Gospel challenges us to trust our understanding of discipleship and our ability to live our baptism.  Christ, in turn, promises to make His presence known to us, to hold us up and support us as we make our way through life’s most turbulent waters and ‘walk on water’ for the good of the Kingdom of God.”

So I reflect on:
It’s good look to look back on my life - when have I experienced Jesus presence during the really tough times?  In the not so tough times?
How did I meet God in prayer this week and how did God speak to me?
At what times do I especially feel that God is with me? What makes those times different?
Have there been times in my life that God has encouraged me to do rather risky things?  Was my faith strong enough to help me?
Sacred Space 2017 says:
   “I pray for a deeper trust as I hear His words:  ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’  I can rely too much on myself and, like Peter, lose sight of where I am going.  Help me. Jesus to keep my eyes fixed on You and to trust that You reach out to me.
   I’m fascinated by that first step of Peter as he climbed over the side of the boat.  He was looking at Jesus, not at the water.  His mind was charged with Jesus’ invitation:  Come.  So often the way out of depression, fear, or anxiety is not a thought or a consideration but a physical step.  I take a risk and find myself strong enough to walk forward, keeping my eyes on the Lord."