The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to attend to the prompting of the Spirit to contemplate the source of storms on our journey and accept the support of Jesus as we weather our troubles.
The reading from the Book of Genesis details the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
* [19:25] Overthrew: this term, lit., “turned upside down,” is used consistently to describe the destruction of the cities of the Plain. The imagery of earthquake and subsequent fire fits the geology of this region. (Genesis, CHAPTER 19, n.d.)
Psalm 26 is a plea for Justice and a Declaration of Righteousness.
* [Psalm 26] Like a priest washing before approaching the altar (Ex 30:17–21), the psalmist seeks God’s protection upon entering the Temple. Ps 26:1–3, matched by Ps 26:11–12, remind God of past integrity while asking for purification; Ps 26:4–5, matched by Ps 26:9–10, pray for inclusion among the just; Ps 26:6–8, the center of the poem, express the joy in God at the heart of all ritual. (Psalms, PSALM 26, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus stills the Storm.
* [8:23] His disciples followed him: the first miracle in the second group (Mt 8:23–9:8) is introduced by a verse that links it with the preceding sayings by the catchword “follow.” In Mark the initiative in entering the boat is taken by the disciples (Mk 4:35–41); here, Jesus enters first and the disciples follow.
* [8:24] Storm: literally, “earthquake,” a word commonly used in apocalyptic literature for the shaking of the old world when God brings in his kingdom. All the synoptics use it in depicting the events preceding the parousia of the Son of Man (Mt 24:7; Mk 13:8; Lk 21:11). Matthew has introduced it here and in his account of the death and resurrection of Jesus (Mt 27:51–54; 28:2).
* [8:25] The reverent plea of the disciples contrasts sharply with their reproach of Jesus in Mk 4:38.
* [8:26] You of little faith: see note on Mt 6:30. Great calm: Jesus’ calming the sea may be meant to recall the Old Testament theme of God’s control over the chaotic waters (Ps 65:8; 89:10; 93:3–4; 107:29). (Matthew, CHAPTER 8, n.d.)
Andy Alexander, S.J. thinks Jesus wants us to know that he is with us, and that he has power over the "wind and the waves" - the storm stuff. But, instead of being with us, always stopping the forces of nature and free will from whipping up into storms, Jesus wants to be with us comforting us with our faith. Jesus wants us to know that our faith can help us deal with our fears - all our fears, even death itself.
Our act of faith today is to pray, "My life is in your hands." Some days, that will be said with tears streaming down our faces. Some days, it will be prayed in the presence of so much anxiety and fear. Some days, it can only be the Spirit praying those words within us. But the more days we say those words, the more deeply those words will come from our hearts. It is not so much that we "place" our lives in God's hands; rather, we recognize that our lives are in God's hands. (Alexander, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “Training in courage and endurance,” by John Chrysostom, 347-407 A.D.
"He took the disciples with him, not for nothing and not merely to face an absurd hazard but in order to permit them to witness the miracle that was to take place on the sea. For like a superb trainer, he was gradually coaching and fitting them for endurance. He had two objectives in mind. He wanted to teach them to remain undismayed amid dangers and modest in honors. So, to prevent them from thinking too much of themselves, having sent away the multitude, he kept them near him but permitted them to be tossed with a tempest. By doing so he disciplined them to bear trials patiently. His former miracles were indeed great, but this one contained a unique kind of discipline of exceptional importance. For it was a sign akin to that of old [referring to Moses parting the Red Sea]. To do this, he took his disciples with him by himself. He permitted others to see his other miracles, but when trials and terrors were rising, he took with him none but those he was training to be champions of the gospel. (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 28.1.2) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 19:15-29 comments that this story also shows us that sometimes the Lord asks us to flee from something that is harming us, something we should leave behind because things will end badly if we don’t. It might be a habitual sin pattern or a situation that continually subjects us to temptation. It might be an unhealthy relationship. Whatever it is, God wants us to move forward in following him. Looking back on what we are losing just makes it all the harder to do that.
For your prayer today, reflect on whether God is asking you to flee from something that is not his will for you. If so, make a resolution to obey him. It might be painful to do, and you may need to keep asking for his grace to stay the course. But trust that God has something so much better for you ahead. And don’t look back!
“Father, you know what’s best for me. Help me to listen to you in all things.” (Meditation on Genesis 19:15-29, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that God saved Lot from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of Abraham. Lot shows characteristics that he is not quite ready for total surrender to God. Friar Jude notes how Jesus demonstrates power over demonic forces in the calming of the sea.
Barbara Holmes reflects on solidarity and this year’s Daily Meditations theme The Prophetic Path. Author Margaret Swedish considers a spirituality of solidarity that begins with honoring the divine presence in each human being.
“I believe that God gave us the greatest example of solidarity when God sent his son Jesus to live with us,” [Salvadoran refugee] Ernesto Martell says. “God gave us the dignity of living with Jesus among us.” … This is one of the pillars of a Christian spirituality of solidarity—belief in a God who became human like us and in so doing revealed the true dignity of each human being.
What this means is that we must, first of all, be able to see the other, the human being next to us, or in a Salvadoran village, or in a refugee camp in Rwanda, as a person with value equal to our own. My life is no more valuable and worthy, of no greater or lesser significance, than that of this other human being. I am no more or less deserving. My rights are not more important than those of this person.…
This spirituality starts in a painful place—with an acceptance of the fact that the world is broken and that we are broken. In this we find our deep bonds with the wounded ones of our world. And in that vulnerable place we find the heart of solidarity: compassion. [2] (Holmes, 2023)
On our journey, we have the Spirit to guide our decisions to leave behind what is damaging to our growth and to express gratitude for the life giving events.
References
Alexander, A. (2023, July 4). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved July 4, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/070423.html
Genesis, CHAPTER 19. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved July 4, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/19?15
Holmes, B. (2023, July 4). The Spirituality of Solidarity — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-spirituality-of-solidarity-2023-07-04/
Matthew, CHAPTER 8. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved July 4, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/8?23
Meditation on Genesis 19:15-29. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved July 4, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/07/04/726630/
Psalms, PSALM 26. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved July 4, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/26?2
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Why Are You Afraid, O Men of Little Faith? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 4, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=jul4
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