Aug. 13, 2023. 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Kgs 19:9a, 11–13a; Rom 9:1–5; Mt 14:22–33.
Does the Lord Jesus seem distant when trials or adversity come your way? It was at Jesus' initiative that the disciples sailed across the lake, only to find themselves in a life-threatening storm. Although they were experienced fishermen, they feared for their lives. While Jesus was not with them in the boat, he, nonetheless watched for them in prayer. When he perceived their trouble, he came to them on the sea and startled them with his sudden appearance.
Lesson: Fight fear with faith: This dramatic incident on the sea of Galilee revealed Peter's character more fully than others. Here we see Peter's impulsiveness - his tendency to act without thinking of what he was doing. He often failed and came to grief as a result of his impulsiveness.
In contrast, Jesus always bade his disciples to see how difficult it was to follow him before they set out on the way he taught them. A great deal of failure in the Christian life is due to acting on impulse and emotional fervor without counting the cost. Peter, fortunately in the moment of his failure clutched at Jesus and held him firmly. Every time Peter fell, he rose again. His failures only made him love the Lord more deeply and trust him more intently.
Conclusion: The obvious “obstacle” Jesus overcame through His prayer was symbolized by His walking on the stormy sea. No one walks on water. It’s physically impossible. But that’s the point. When we make our life of personal prayer a priority, God will lead us to accomplish that which appears to us to be impossible. It might not be walking on water literally, but His walking on water after spending the night in prayer is symbolic of every apparent impossibility we face in life.
The lesson is that if God wills it, nothing is impossible. We will know that if we make personal prayer our priority. The Lord always keeps watch over us, and especially in our moments of temptation and difficulty. And he assures us today, that we have no need to fear if we trust in Him and in his great love for us, especially, when calamities or trials threaten to overwhelm us.
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