FOCUS ON THE HOPE OF THE HOPELESS

We are in the Nineteenth Sunday of ordinary time. The readings of today focus on hope that God gives in our misery filled life. In the first reading (1 Kg 19:9, 11-13) Storm, earthquake and fire are imageries used to describe the manifestation of God to Elijah. In those days people were worshipping uncomprehended natural elements such as thunder, fire, lightning… as Gods. Against this background, the audience of the first book of kings are warned not to worship such natural elements but to acknowledge supreme power that is beyond all these. In the gospel reading (Mt 14:22-33) we witness Jesus walking on the sea.

The commotion and uproar in the sea are common at night. Day is an assurance of calmness and safety. The disciples were battling heavy wind and stormy waves whole night. Jesus comes to rescue his disciples only in the fourth watch; the last watch before dawn/at day break (Mt 14:25). This is the work of God. God allows us to battle our own difficulties by ourselves, it is only when the situation goes beyond our control He comes to our rescue. As Jesus walks over the sea and approaches the boat peter asks Jesus to give him the grace to walk on the sea as He Himself is doing now. Peter is asking proof – externally – to conform that the one who is walking on the sea is not ghost but Jesus, his master. Jesus accepts the demand of peter and grants him the grace to walk on the sea. But the poor peter gets frightened by the wind, loses faith and begins to sink. He forgets that it is for the proof of God’s act that he is walking over the sea. Grant of proof itself a sign that it is God who is acting and it is God who is in control of everything that is happening. Even in that proof getting frightened and lacking faith is the misery of peter’s faith. It is possible in our lives too that in spite of experiencing many blessings among many miseries we still doubt God’s providential hand. This is losing hope in the hopes; the blessings are the hope for the sad part in our life. To doubt the hope itself leaves the one without any possibility of getting remedy from oneself. In this situation only God can save us. He is the hope of the hopeless. We can only cry to him “save [me] us” as peter cried out (Mt 14:30).

Peter gets distracted by the wind and loses his focus on Jesus that eventually leads him to sinking. In the Jewish history we notice that farther the people went away from God the nearer God came to the people of Israel. The more they sinned, greater the mercy of God bestowed on them. God is madly in love with His people. It is to show that love that Jesus gave His life on the cross. It is the will of God that each of us be saved (1 Tim 2:4). Jesus saves sinking peter in spite of peter losing his focus on Jesus because He doesn’t want to lose him. This is the assurance that God gives us today. If we go away from Him, even to the extent of losing all our hope still He will not let us sink, He will save us. During this covid-19 pandemic we are given hope that He will not let us lose. He will rescue us from all our illness, financial crisis,… but remember God will come just before final end as Jesus comes to the rescue of His disciple just before the daybreak. It is only in the grave suffering we will realize His wonderful presence and marvellous help.

After getting inside the boat they worshiped him saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Mt 14:33). The human Jesus whom the disciple astounded everyday by His great miracles and casting out devils now shows His power over natural calamities. His presence in the boat creates silence in the sea. No more wind, no more uproar. They see God in Jesus; God in the person of Jesus. Later, in the post resurrection they will see Jesus as God. Jesus comes to them gently walking on the sea. God’s presence is always gentle and kind. Amidst all the commotion Elijah hears God’s voice as gentle breeze that comes from in. In our life too we can feel God’s presence in gentleness, kindness and goodness that we experience. If we see a ray of hope in our suffering that is the action of God, that is God who Himself shows a way out of our miseries. Let us earnestly pray that God may visit us gently as He visited His disciples in their commotion. Let us hear God’s voice that is speaking to us in the midst of our suffering and failures.

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