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.
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