Walk with little faith

The texts in the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today bring several voices and experiences of the Divine to our reflection. The Book of 1st Kings tells of the still small voice of God which speaks to Elijah on Mt Horeb after great wind, fire and earthquake pass. The discovery of God in peace may be especially available to us in the calm and beauty of a summer morning or after resolution of some family distress. The letter of Paul to the Romans today tells of election by God of Israel to as chosen people with Covenant, Law, Prophets and worship through which to be in relationship with the Divine. The deep desire of Paul that the people of his heritage accept the invitation of Jesus to live in the Life brought by the Messiah is strongly expressed in this text. John Piper recalls how his struggle with the supremacy of the Will of God revolves around the ninth chapter of this letter. This supremacy of the Will of God is intertwined with our decisions as John B Cobb Jr discusses faith development which Peter illustrates in the text today from the Gospel of Matthew as he moves with the “little faith” declared by Jesus to an interdependence which allows his faith in what people can do through Jesus life within to develop. The boat in which the disciples encounter the storms is compared by Kyle Lierk to the crutches which we hang on to in life when we are challenged by stormy circumstances. Peter points to the path to transcend the tragedy as he seeks empowerment through Jesus to continue to walk  above chaos. In the Gospel scenario he loses focus and begins to sink. We need to step out of our boats with the confidence that Jesus will save us from our own inadequacies. The “I can do whatever I want” attitude in our culture which thrives in the delusion that each person is sovereign within themselves creates sorrow similar to that of Paul that such gifted seem intent on sinking beneath the waves. The voice of Jesus as he reaches out to save us once again brings the peace which Elijah found on Horeb.