Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 13, 2023

Trust in Jesus who tells us He is always with us.

Matthew 14:22–33

Then he made the disciples get into the 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 him, 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.”

Music Meditations

• “Be Not Afraid” (sung by John Michael Talbot) [YouTube]
• “Lord, I Need You” (Chris Tomlin)
• “Walk on the Water” (Britt Nicole) [YouTube]

Opening Prayer

We need to learn, Lord, not only to rely on ourselves, but on you, and in turn, on those around us who love and care for us. Help us to extend that same care and love to those we meet along the way, for that is how we experience your presence as we walk precariously on the waters of life.

Companions for the Journey

The Gospel today describes the difficult and tiresome crossing of the sea of Galilee in a fragile boat, pushed by a contrary wind. Between the discourse of the Parables (Mt 13) and of the Community (Mt 18), there is once again, the narrative part (Mt 14 to 17). The discourse of the Parables calls our attention again on the presence of the Kingdom. Now, the narrative part shows the reactions in favor and against Jesus provoked by that presence. In Nazareth, he was not accepted (Mt 13, 53-58) and King Herod thought that Jesus was a sort or reincarnation of John the Baptist, whom he had murdered (Mt 14, 1-12). The poor people, though, recognized in Jesus the one who had been sent by God and they followed him to the desert, where the multiplication of the loaves took place (Mt 14, 13-21). After the multiplication of the loaves, Jesus takes leave of the crowd and ordered the disciples to cross the lake, as it is described in today’s Gospel (Mt 14, 22-36).

Matthew 14, 22-24: To begin the crossing asked by Jesus. Jesus obliges the Disciples to go into the boat and to go toward the other side of the sea, where the land of the pagans was. He goes up to the mountain to pray. The boat symbolizes the community. It has the mission to direct itself toward the pagans and to announce among them the Good News of the Kingdom also, which was the new way of living in community. But the crossing was very tiring and long. The boat is agitated by the wave, because the wind is contrary. In spite of having rowed the whole night, there is still a great distance left before reaching the land. Much was still lacking in the community in order to be able to cross and go toward the pagans. Jesus did not go with his disciples. They had to learn to face together the difficulties, united and strengthened by faith in Jesus who had sent them. The contrast is very great: Jesus is in peace together with God, praying on the top of the mountain, and the Disciples are almost lost there below, in the agitated sea.

The crossing to the other side of the lake symbolizes also the difficult crossing of the community at the end of the first century. They should get out of the closed world of the ancient observance of the law toward the new manner of observing the Law of love., taught by Jesus; they should abandon the knowledge of belonging to the Chosen People, privileged by God among all other peoples, for the certainty that in Christ all peoples would be united into one Only People before God; they should get out from isolation and intolerance toward the open world of acceptance and of gratitude. Today also, we are going through a difficult crossing toward a new time and a new way of being Church. A difficult crossing, but which is necessary. There are moments in life in which we are attacked by fear. Good will is not lacking, but this is not sufficient. We are like a boat faced with the contrary wind.

Matthew 14, 25-27: Jesus comes close to them but they do not recognize him. Toward the end of the night, that is between three and six o’clock in the morning, Jesus goes to meet the Disciples. Walking on the water, he gets close to them, but they did not recognize him. They cried out in fear, thinking that it was a ghost. Jesus calms them down saying: “Courage! It is me! Do not be afraid!” The expression “It is me!” is the same one with which God tried to overcome the fear of Moses when he sent him to liberate the people from Egypt (Ex 3, 14). For the communities, of today as well as for those of yesterday, it was and it is very important to be always open to novelty: “Courage. It is me!. Do not be afraid!”

Matthew 14, 28-31: Enthusiasm and weakness of Peter. Knowing that it is Jesus, Peter asks that he also can walk on the water. He wants to experience the power which dominates the fury of the sea. This is a power which in the bible belongs only to God (Gn 1, 6; Ps 104, 6-9). Jesus allows him to participate in this power. But Peter is afraid. He thinks that he will sink and he cries out: “Lord, save me!” Jesus assures him and takes hold of him and reproaches him: “You have so little faith! Why did you doubt?” Peter has more strength than he imagined, but is afraid before the contrary waves and does not believe in the power of God which dwells within him. The communities do not believe in the force of the Spirit which is within them and which acts through faith. It is the force of the Resurrection (Eph 1, 19-20).

Matthew 14, 32-33: Jesus is the Son of God. Before the waves that come toward them, Peter begins to sink in the sea because of lack of faith. After he is saved, he and Jesus, both of them, go into the boat and the wind calms down. The other Disciples, who are in the boat, are astonished and bowed before Jesus, recognizing that he is the Son of God: “Truly, you are the Son of God”. Later on, Peter also professes the same faith in Jesus: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” (Mt 16,16). In this way Matthew suggests that it is not only Peter who sustains the faith of the Disciples, but also that the faith of the Disciples sustains Peter’s faith.

Matthew 14, 34-36: They brought all the sick to him. The episode of the crossing ends with something beautiful: “Having made the crossing they came to Gennesaret. When the local people recognized him they spread the news through the whole neighborhood and took all who were sick to him, begging him just to let them tough the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched it were saved”.

Further reading:

• Commentary on Matthew 14:22-33 from “Living Space” >>
• God’s Power Is Not Coercive, but Persuasive >>

Weekly Memorization

Taken from the gospel for today’s session…

Take courage, it is I. Do not be afraid

Living the Good News

What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?

Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:

Reflection Questions

• From “First Impressions” 2020:
  Do we look into the midst of life’s storms and wonder if Jesus is just a ghost, a product of our fear-driven imagination?
  Can we hear him say to us what he said to his frightened disciples, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid.”
• What were some moments in your life when you encountered stormy seas, felt adrift or separated from Jesus? How did you handle this?
• When you are troubled or anxious, how do you talk to God? What prayers do you say?
• Has there ever been a time in your life where you had to work through fear to arrive at trust in your life?
  How did you do this?
  What gave you courage?
• Do you read this gospel as a warning that God will put our faith to the test, just so we can be graded on how well we did?
  Do you read this gospel as a scathing indictment of those who do not trust God enough?
  What, actually, does this gospel tell you about God?
• Where has our fear overcome our basic faith in the goodness of God, our faith in the eventual well-being of the world, our faith in the care and concern of Jesus?
  How did we handle it?
• From a Benedictine website featuring Lectio divina:
  Has there been a contrary wind in your life? What have you done to overcome it?
  Has this happened sometimes in your community? How was it overcome?
  Which is the particular crossing that communities are doing today? From what to what or where to where?
  How does all of this help us to recognize today the presence of Jesus in the contrary waves of life?
• Was Jesus praying for the disciples during the storm, do you think?
  Would some of our “storms” be more manageable if we turned to prayer?
• Is there someone you know experiencing a stormy time in his/her life to whom you can say “I am with you”?

Meditations

A Meditation on the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:

(story from “First Impressions”)
Well, I knew a man in his mid-fifties who did things very well. A good man, he was a frequent church goer, excellent husband and family man. He was sincere in his religious practices and generous with his time for the needy. This very special man got cancer, fought a painful battle with it and a year later died. Didn’t he say the right prayers? What about the prayers we said for his healing? What more could we have done? Where was Jesus in his and our storm? We know lots of people with similar stories. When things turn out poorly for us or someone we love, we wonder what happened. We may even blame ourselves for not praying correctly or enough. Didn’t we follow the directions, say the right prayers, have the proper attitude, get enough people to pray with us? Do we secretly believe that if our prayers are not answered the way we want, it is because we didn’t pray correctly, or were otherwise deserving of the bad things that happen to us?

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:

Adapted from a prayer service by the Irish Jesuits:

Identify with the feelings of Jesus as he prays, having heard of the death of John, the Baptist. What are his thoughts at this time? What is the content of his prayer? Compose a prayer that you think Jesus might have made.

Imagine yourself in the boat with the disciples and listen to what they say as the storm develops.

Listen to them as they observe the figure coming across the water!

Note that the first step of Peter as he climbed out of the boat, was on Jesus, not at the water. Note how Peter’s trust slips when he turns his focus from Jesus to himself. Reflect on your own life and draw some conclusion.

Someone commented that Peter began to falter when he took his focus of Jesus and focus on himself. Do you agree with this assessment?

We criticize Peter for his “lack of faith”. Should we not notice that Peter was wise enough to ask for help when he needed it? Should we not be paying attention to the startling fact that Jesus didn’t refuse to help Peter because of Peter’s failure to trust?

A Meditation in the Augustinan Style/Relationship:

Meditation on the Lord’s Prayer:
Do I trust that God is my father, and the father of all of us? Do I believe that heaven exists because God is there? Is God’s name holy to me? Do I really trust that God will give me whatever of this world’s goods I need, or do I worry a lot about money, possessions, security? Do I believe that God forgives me? Do I forgive those who have hurt me, or do I still carry old resentments and pain into my relationships? Do I believe that God would never ‘tempt’ me to sin and thus lose eternal life, or do I believe that God sets traps for me so that I must constantly prove my love? Do I believe that my God, my Father/Mother, will deliver me from evil, that God, my Father/Mother, is my strength and my salvation?
And finally, I recite the Lord’s Prayer, praying each phrase as an affirmation of my trust in the Lord, rather than as a series of petitions.

A Meditation in the Augustinan Style/Relationship:

Rework Psalm 62, addressing God in the second person. How does this psalm help you to understand God's care for you?

2In God alone is my soul at rest; (In you alone is my soul at rest)
my salvation comes from him. (my salvation comes from you)
3He alone is my rock, my salvation,
my fortress; never shall I falter.
4How long will you all attack one man (How long will they all attack one man)
to break him down,
as though he were a tottering wall,
or a tumbling fence?
5Their plan is only to bring down;
they take pleasure in lies.
With their mouth they utter blessing,
but in their heart they curse.
6In God alone be at rest, my soul,
for my hope is from him.
7He alone is my rock, my salvation,
my fortress; never shall I falter.
8In God is my salvation and glory,
my rock of strength;
in God is my refuge.
9Trust him at all times, O people.
Pour out your hearts before him,
for God is our refuge.
10The sons of men are a breath,
an illusion, the sons of men.
Placed in the scales, they rise;
they all weigh less than a breath.
11Do not put your trust in oppression,
nor vain hopes on plunder.
Even if riches increase,
set not your heart on them.
12For God has said only one thing;
only two have I heard:
that to God alone belongs power,
13and to you, Lord, merciful love;
and that you repay each man
according to his deeds.

Poetic Reflection:

Read Thomas Merton’s famous “Prayer” which speaks to the kind of faith I am talking about: How does this poem reflect the poet’s utter trust in God and in God’s care for us?

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think that I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always
though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Closing Prayer

Adapted from Sacred Space, a service of the Itish Jesuits

Jesus help me to remember to put my trust in you and not to think that I must go through life’s trials alone. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on you and trust that you will reach out to me in my fear and need.