1 Kings 19:9a.11-13a,
Psalm 85:8ab and 9.10-11.12-13, (Watch it here)
Romans 9:1 - 5,
Matthew 14:22-33 Full Readings
Fighting Fear with Faith.
The first reading and the gospel have the similar message, the revelation of the face of God. In the first reading God manifests himself to Elijah in a completely new way, different from the pagan gods and from the way to which Israel was accustomed as they knew these gods would come in overwhelming appearance. Elijah experienced God only silence and so we also need some time in silence in order to experience God in our lives.
In the gospel we have a further revelation of God, through Jesus who comes, like the God of the Old Testament, as master of the sea, giving his own divine power to humans by walking on water. The second reading touches on the same theme as it reminds us of the difficulties Paul had to face. But in all these he swears that for his own people, the Israelites, adopted children, he would even wish to be cut off from Christ. He is deeply wounded why the Israelites, long prepared and with all privileges would not accept Jesus as their saviour. How far are we willing to die for the conversion of fellow brothers and sisters?
Today’s Gospel specifically encourages us to fight fear with faith. Peter after being told to walk on water, he confidently starts on water but fear took him and he started sinking. He immediately asked Jesus for help and when Jesus held him, He asked him why he doubted. This means Peter would not have sunk if he had not doubted and lost his faith in Jesus. The only solution to fear is faith in Jesus. There is nothing we shall fear nor want if we have full trust in Jesus. like the way a child has faith in its mother that she cannot let it fall down, so should we have such faith in Jesus that He will not let us alone.
Therefore this gospel reveals God's readiness and closeness to help us when we feel our faith is faltering or wavering and when we are covered with fear. God is always near us and close to us at all times, we only need to stay connected to him and say with faith in Him, as Peter did, "Lord, save me!" The Lord knows the human weakness and acknowledging it in front of Him and asking help from Him is only what He needs to come to our rescue. Otherwise, if we try to look for our own ways to get out of our difficult life situations, He may leave us to sink. If Peter would not have asked help from Jesus and had started struggling on his own, he would have sunk down.
Brethren, let us not doubt what God can do in our lives, let's only fight that doubt and the fear that comes along with faith. Sometimes we become like Peter, who at first showed greater faith that by Jesus' word, he would move on water but later started doubting and he began to sink.We often start our journey of faith in Jesus with much enthusiasm and courage to live up to the values of the kingdom but suddenly our faith starts wavering, like the one of Peter, due to life situations and difficulties and we begin to sink. In our faith journey there many ups and downs of which sometimes we invite them by ourselves and others are due to life situations. This is most common but if we don't lose focus and we stay connected to Jesus, He will surely raise us up again as He did to Peter.
Reflect today on your ups and downs in your faith journey. Where do you run to when challenges in life threaten your faith? Know that the Lord is with us and if we trust Him he will raise us up whenever we try to fall.
Let us pray
Lord you who alone is most loving and merciful, I entrust myself and my faith journey to you. Raise me up again for the time I have fallen and may your Holy Spirit guide me always to keep strong and firm in faith. Amen.
Be blessed.
Responsorial Psalm
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