DAILY- HOMILY

August 13, 2017 - 19th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Green

1 Kgs 19: 9a, 11 - 13a / Rom 9: 1 - 5 / Mt 14: 22- 33

FROM THE FIRST READING:          1 Kgs 19: 11 -13a

     Then Yahweh said, "Go up and stand on the mount, waiting for Yahweh." And Yahweh passed by. There was first a windstorm, wild wind which rent the mountains and broke the rocks into pieces before Yahweh, but Yahweh was not in the wind. After the storm, an earthquake, Yahweh was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, a fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire. After the fire, a murmur of a gentle breeze. When Elijah perceived it, he covered his face with his cloak, went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

From the GOSPEL READING:        Mt 14: 23 - 33

     And having sent the people away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. At nightfall, he was there alone. Meanwhile, the boat was very far from land, dangerously rocked by the waves for the wind was against it.

     At daybreak, Jesus came to them walking on the lake. When they saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, thinking that it was a ghost. And they cried out in fear. But at once Jesus said to them, "Courage! Don't be afraid. It's me!" Peter answered, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you walking on the water."

     Jesus said to him, "Come." And Peter got out of the boat, walking on the water to go to Jesus. But, in the face of the strong wind, he was afraid and he began to sink. So he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and took hold of him, saying, "Man of little faith, why did you doubt?"

     As they got into the boat, the wind dropped. Then those in the boat bowed down before Jesus saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God!"

REFLECTION

     In the first reading, we see Yahweh revealing himself to the prophet Elijah in "a murmur of a gentle breeze," and not in a windstorm or an earthquake or fire. God had appeared to Moses in a "burning bush in the desert." (Ex 3: 2) At the escape of the Israelites from Egypt, Yahweh had guided them "in the pillar of cloud and fire." (Ex 14: 24)

     Yahweh's presence to Elijah was a presence of calm and peace amid turmoil and chaos. God was assuring Elijah, "Have courage, do not be afraid. I am with you."

Jesus, the Son of God, brings this same calm and peace to the disciples in the boat rocked by the winds and the waves. The ever-active Peter asks to walk on the water, but, "in the face of the strong wind, he was afraid and he began to sink." "Lord, save me!" "Man of little faith, why did you doubt?"

     Are we in the same difficult situation as Elijah? Or like the fearful and anxious disciples in the tossing sea? Or like Peter beginning to sink in the water? The Lord may not come in power and might, in fire and storm, but he is always with us, like "a murmur of a gentle breeze."

     We could pray with Tomas Merton, "My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

     "I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I have that desire in all that I do. I hope that I never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear for you are ever with me and will never leave me to face my perils alone."

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

PRAYER INTENTION

     ELAINE MARGARET W. CUYEGKENG

IN MEMORIAM (†)

     ICASIANO TAN

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

**************************************************

These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following: 

  +================================================+

   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

  +================================================+