NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YR A
1Kg 19:9a,11-13a: Ps 85;
Rom 9:1-5: Matt. 14:22-33
JESUS HAS IT UNDER CONTROL
After the feeding of the five thousand, he goes up to the mountain to pray while the disciples preceded him home. While they were a few miles offshore, the wind began to rise against them and at the same time being tossed about by the waves.
In the fourth watch of the night Jesus appears through the storm and the waves, walking on the water towards them. This image of someone walking towards them frightened them for they thought it was a ghost.
The night was thought to be divided into four sections. The fourth watch of the night was the dawn before morning. The disciples were struggling with the waves all night. Let us keep in mind that these were men who were experienced fishermen. For them to be so terrified to the point of crying indicates that they have spent all their strength and courage in fighting the waves all night. They were at the fourth watch of the night. Then Jesus appears.
You too may be at the fourth watch of your night. Like the disciples you may have battled with all your storms and waves and you are at the point of exhaustion. This is when Jesus steps in and says, “take courage it is I”. The Greek form rendered “it is I” is “ergo eime”. A literal translation will make the text read “ take courage, I am”. Note this is the Divine name of God in the Old Testament. This name means that the Lord is ever present with us. What this means is that the Lord is ever present with us in our troubles. He never abandons us. When it looks like we are losing his consoling words should resonate with us always – “take courage do not be afraid, I am”. When you are at the fourth watch of your night, may you never forget his assurance, “take courage, I am” and take a deep breathe and be sure that he is in control.
In the synoptic gospels the storms and other natural disaster are seen to represent the forces of darkness. For Jesus to appear walking on the waves and going through the storm tell us that whatever may be sapping our strength and courage, whatever makes us tired and lose sleepis under the feet of Jesus. Every storm or crisis in your life is under his feet. He has control over your situation. Jesus is King over your storms.
Jesus desires that we too should master our storms and crisis. After assuring them to have courage, he called out to Peter to come. Peter began to also walk on water but when he saw the waves he became afraid and began to sink. To master our crisis and storms we must listen to Jesus. In the midst of your storms, you should be able to hear and hold on to the words of Jesus. When Peter was sinking, Jesus asked him why did you doubt? May the Lord increase our faith.
Jesus uses the storms in our lives to prepare us for something extraordinary. I am very sure Jesus would know that the disciples were suffering all night but he waited till the fourth watch. Why? He made them endure some crisis so that they can do something extraordinary. When Peter told Jesus, “If it is you command me to come to you on the water”, Jesus commanded him to come. He got out of the boat and began to walk on water. That was extraordinary. In the whole of the Bible then it is not only Jesus who walks on water but Peter too. But he had to get out of the boat. To do extraordinary things we must get out of our boats. Our places of comfort and security and just trust Jesus. Doing extraordinary things begns with obeying the words of Jesus and having faith in him as the “I AM”.
Whatever storms you may be going through may Jesus deliver you from them. May he cause you to do extraordinary things. May your faith never fail.
God bless you.
By Fr. Delight Arnold Carbonu
Image credit: Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org
