The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the experiences we have of the silent Presence and the active support of our relationship with Jesus that keeps us afloat in the storms of life.
In the reading from the First Book of Kings, Elijah meets God at Horeb.
* [19:11–13] To “stand before the Lord” is a literal translation of a Hebrew idiom meaning “to serve the Lord”; Elijah has used this idiom twice before to describe himself as the Lord’s servant (17:1; 18:15). The Lord’s command, then, means that Elijah is to take up once again the prophetic service to which he has been appointed. The Lord’s question, “Why are you here?” (v. 9, repeated in v. 13), could imply an accusation that he is abandoning his prophetic office. In v. 15, the Lord tells him to go back.
* [19:12] Compare these divine manifestations to Elijah with those to Moses on the same mountain (Ex 19:16–19; 33:18–23; 34:5–6; Dt 4:10–15). Though various phenomena, such as wind, storms, earthquakes, fire, accompany the divine presence, they do not constitute the presence itself which, like the “silent sound,” is mysterious and ultimately ungraspable. Moses and Elijah, the two figures who experienced God’s theophany on this mountain, reappear with Jesus on another mountain at his transfiguration (Mt 17:1–9; Mk 9:2–9; Lk 9:28–36). (1 Kings, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 85 is a prayer for the restoration of God’s Favour.
* [Psalm 85] A national lament reminding God of past favors and forgiveness (Ps 85:2–4) and begging for forgiveness and grace now (Ps 85:5–8). A speaker represents the people who wait humbly with open hearts (Ps 85:9–10): God will be active on their behalf (Ps 85:11–13). The situation suggests the conditions of Judea during the early postexilic period, the fifth century B.C.; the thoughts are similar to those of postexilic prophets (Hg 1:5–11; 2:6–9). (Psalms, PSALM 85 | USCCB, n.d.)
The reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans shares God’s Election of Israel and Paul’s Love for Israel.
* [9:1–5] The apostle speaks in strong terms of the depth of his grief over the unbelief of his own people. He would willingly undergo a curse himself for the sake of their coming to the knowledge of Christ (Rom 9:3; cf. Lv 27:28–29). His love for them derives from God’s continuing choice of them and from the spiritual benefits that God bestows on them and through them on all of humanity (Rom 9:4–5).
* [9:5] Some editors punctuate this verse differently and prefer the translation, “Of whom is Christ according to the flesh, who is God over all.” However, Paul’s point is that God who is over all aimed to use Israel, which had been entrusted with every privilege, in outreach to the entire world through the Messiah. (Romans, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus walks on the Water.
* [14:22–33] The disciples, laboring against the turbulent sea, are saved by Jesus. For his power over the waters, see note on Mt 8:26. Here that power is expressed also by his walking on the sea (Mt 14:25; cf. Ps 77:20; Jb 9:8). Matthew has inserted into the Marcan story (Mk 6:45–52) material that belongs to his special traditions on Peter (Mt 14:28–31).
* [14:25] The fourth watch of the night: between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. The Romans divided the twelve hours between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. into four equal parts called “watches.”
* [14:27] It is I: see note on Mk 6:50.
* [14:31] You of little faith: see note on Mt 6:30. Why did you doubt?: the verb is peculiar to Matthew and occurs elsewhere only in Mt 28:17.
* [14:33] This confession is in striking contrast to the Marcan parallel (Mk 6:51) where the disciples are “completely astounded.” (Matthew, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB, n.d.)
Susanne Braddock comments on the fourth watch, the hours from 3-6 a.m., the time of significant encounters with God in many Bible stories. A holy time.
I am often wakened at three a.m. for no rational reason…what a great time to turn to the Lord in prayer. To listen for that tiny whispering sound. To remember all his words in this Gospel. And reach for his hand, outstretched toward mine……
“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
“Come.”
“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Braddock, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “Welcoming the Lord Jesus with expectant faith and humility,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"While human praise does not tempt the Lord, people are often ruffled and nearly entranced by human praise and honors in the church. Peter was afraid on the sea, terrified by the great force of the storm. Indeed, who does not fear that voice: 'Those who say you are happy place you in error and disturb the path of your feet' (Isaiah 3:12 Vulgate translation)? And since the soul struggles against the desire for human praise, it is good for it to turn to prayer and petition amid such danger, lest one who is charmed by praise be overcome by criticism and reproach. Let Peter, about to sink in the waves, cry out and say, 'Lord, save me!' The Lord reached out his hand. He chided Peter, saying, 'O man of little faith, why did you doubt?' - that is, why did you not, gazing straight at the Lord as you approached, pride yourself only in him? Nevertheless he snatched Peter from the waves and did not allow him who was declaring his weakness and asking the Lord for help to perish." (excerpt from SERMON 75:10) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 14:22-33 comments that doubts are a natural human response to uncertainty, so we shouldn’t berate ourselves for having them. Sometimes they don’t even come from us; the evil one loves to plant doubts in our minds in order to shake up our faith. Whatever the case, they don’t disqualify us from following Jesus. Just look at the apostle Thomas! Even a great saint like Thérèse of Lisieux struggled with doubts as she lay dying.
The key is to deal with our doubts not by focusing on them but by calling out to the Lord as Peter did: “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30). And just as he did for Peter, Jesus will stretch out his hand to us. He will remind us of who he is: a loving, compassionate, merciful, and mighty God. He will help us recall all he has done for us. He will assure us that he will never leave us and that nothing will ever separate us from his love.
You don’t have to try to battle your doubts on your own. Jesus has come to save you—even from your doubts!
“Lord, help me to turn to you every time I start to question my faith.” (Meditation on Matthew 14:22-33, n.d.)
Fr Jack Mahoney SJ, Emeritus Professor of Moral and Social Theology in the University of London, and a former Principal of Heythrop College, comments that there are encounters between Jesus and his disciples that may actually have taken place after the resurrection, even if the context in which they are placed by the evangelists suggests otherwise.
It is interesting to note that all of these references to alarm at the appearance of Jesus on the water are similar to Luke’s comment that, at the sight of the risen Jesus on the evening of the first Easter Sunday, the disciples ‘were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost’ (Luke 24:37). Mark’s observation that, ‘Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid”’ (Mk 6:50) is repeated by Matthew (Mt 14:27) and also by John (Jn 6:20). Interestingly, the reassurance of Jesus to the terrified disciples in the boat is similar to the various ways in which he dispelled the fears of his followers when he first appeared to them after his resurrection – both to the women at the tomb who were encouraged not to be afraid (Mt 28:10), and the comforting greeting of ‘peace be with you’ that Jesus offered to his disciples in Luke (Lk 24:36-38) and several times in John (Jn 20:19, 21, 26).
It is attractive, then, to see the details in the account of Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee as clues that point to the passage describing an appearance of the risen Jesus. Meier is not alone in regarding it as ‘plausible’ that Jesus’s walking on the water is a post-resurrection appearance.[1] Raymond Brown cites the great C. H. Dodd as noting that in the three gospel accounts of the walking on the water there are many features appropriate to the literary form of a post-resurrection narrative, suggesting that the passage may have originally concerned an appearance of the risen Jesus.[2] (Mahoney, 2011)
Friar Jude Winkler, reflecting on Elijah at Horeb, discusses the everyday encounters we have with God. Paul, mistakenly thought as anti-Semetic, expresses his deep desire that the gifts of God to the Hebrew people would include acceptance of Christ. Friar Jude notes how the impetuousness of Peter had both positive and negative effects in the life of the disciples.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that prophets do not foretell the future, but they do seem to anticipate futures that are shocking to the rest of us.
The prophets judge the present by the perspective of the future. Perhaps that’s how we began to think that prophets foretold the future—because they forthtold the future. They were the original futurists. The fancy, theological word for this is eschatology. The prophets live out of this futuristic vision of God’s dream for the world, where God is leading history, and where it’s all headed. Prophets become so infatuated with that final ideal goal and vision that they become passionately sad and angry about what we’re doing now. Once we experience the universal being of God, the present becomes so dissatisfying and disappointing. We wonder how people can be satisfied with so little and content with such tawdry lives. [1] (Rohr, 2023)
We implore the Holy Spirit to guide our living out of our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and king.
References
Braddock, S. (2023, August 12). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved August 13, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/081323.html
Mahoney, J. (2011, September 29). Jesus After the Resurrection. Thinking Faith. Retrieved August 13, 2023, from https://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/20110929_1.htm
Matthew, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 13, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/14?22
Meditation on Matthew 14:22-33. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 13, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/08/13/757508/
1 Kings, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 13, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/19?9
Psalms, PSALM 85 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 13, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/85?9
Rohr, R. (2023, August 13). Forthtelling, Not Foretelling — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved August 13, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/forthtelling-not-foretelling-2023-08-13/
Romans, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 13, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/9?1
Schwager, D. (n.d.). It Is I - Have No Fear. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 13, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=aug13
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