Tell me to come to you across the water

Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time - Year A

Collect

Almighty ever-living God, whom, taught by the Holy Spirit, we dare to call our Father, bring, we pray, to perfection in our hearts the spirit of adoption as your sons and daughters, that we may merit to enter into the inheritance which you have promised. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen. 

Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.
1 Kings 19:9. 11-13

A reading from the first Book of Kings

When Elijah reached Horeb, the mountain of God, he went into the cave and spent the night in it. Then the word of the Lord came to him saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ Then he was told, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ Then the Lord himself went by. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But The Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came the sound of a gentle breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

The Word of the Lord.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 84:9-14

℟.: Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and give us your saving help.

I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace.
His help is near for those who fear him
and his glory will dwell in our land. ℟.

Mercy and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have embraced.

Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice look down from heaven. ℟.

The Lord will make us prosper
and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him
and peace shall follow his steps. ℟.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shed its light upon us. ℟.

I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could help my brothers.
Rom 9:1-5

A reading from the first letter of St Paul to Romans

What I want to say now is no pretence; I say it in union with Christ – it is the truth – my conscience in union with the Holy Spirit assures me of it too. What I want to say is this: my sorrow is so great, my mental anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and blood. They were adopted as sons, they were given the glory and the covenants; the Law and the ritual were drawn up for them, and the promises were made to them.

They are descended from the patriarchs and from their flesh and blood came Christ who is above all, God for ever blessed! Amen.

The Word of the Lord.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation
Psalm 129:5

Alleluia. ℟. Alleluia.
My Soul is waiting on the Lord,
I count on his word.
℟. Alleluia.

Tell me to come to you across the water.
Mt 14:22-33

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he would send the crowds away. After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea, for there was a head-wind.

In the fourth watch of the night he went towards them, walking on the lake, and when the disciples saw him walking on the lake they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear. But at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.‘
It was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come,’ said Jesus. Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’ And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’

The Gospel of the Lord.
℟. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection

In today's Gospel we encounter Jesus walking on the water. The same account is found in Mark’s and John’s Gospels, but it is only Matthew who recounts the episode in which Peter (and not only Jesus) walks on the water. Even though Jesus had just fed five thousand people, and even though the disciples had witnessed this miracle with their own eyes, today's episode seems almost to rebuke the weakness of their faith.  

Many of them were seasoned fishermen. They knew well what the sea could bring when the wind was against them. When they saw someone approaching them, walking on the sea, “they were terrified, and said, ‘It is a ghost!’ and they cried out in fear,” because they did not recognise their Master and thought He was an apparition. Matthew, however, tells us that Jesus “immediately” reassured them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” How patient the Lord is with us!  

Then Peter enters the scene. Known for his impulsive nature, Peter asked Jesus to command him to come to Him on the water. Jesus answered him with a single word: “Come.” We are accustomed to criticising Peter for what happened a few moments later, but we should also appreciate that, despite the raging sea, Peter was the one who had the courage to step out of the boat. The others remained where they were; not one of them dared to put a foot outside the boat. It was only when Peter took his eyes off the Lord that he began to sink, crying out for the Lord to save him. Once again, Matthew gives us a beautiful detail: “Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him.” How patient the Lord is with us! Yet just as He rebuked Peter for his little faith, so too He rebukes us whenever we fix our gaze on the strength of the wind rather than on Him.  

It is interesting that, while Peter was walking on the water, the Lord did not stop the wind. The wind ceased only when the two of them got into the boat. 

Il-Mulej ma jneħħilniex il-mewġ tal-ħajja imma Hu jibqa’ hemm quddiemna sabiex aħna nħarsu lejh waqt li nimxu u nitħabtu mal-mewġ.  

The Lord does not spare us from suffering, but He remains with us in the midst of it, even offering us His hand to hold on to.  

We walk upon the waters without sinking as long as our eyes remain fixed on Him and we cling to the hand that is always stretched out, waiting for us to grasp it.

So far, together with the disciples, we have witnessed three miracles: 
- Jesus walks on the water; 
- Peter walks on the water (until he begins to doubt); 
- the storm and the wind cease. 

But Matthew recounts the greatest miracle in the very last verse: “And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’” This was the first time that the disciples openly professed that Jesus is the Son of God. 

The greatest miracle takes place in the human heart when it is converted, when it changes direction. 

The greatest miracle takes place quietly and unseen, when our gaze is no longer fixed on the winds around us but comes to rest on Jesus.  

IThe greatest miracle takes place when we become convinced that we are not saved by our own strength, but by holding fast to the Master’s hand, especially in the midst of the storm

Prayer

Lord, at times I am like the disciples: I am afraid, I am overwhelmed, and I do not dare to step outside the boat. I do not take the risk, and I do not trust You. At times I am like Peter: impulsive and convinced that I can manage without You. Today I will not ask You to calm the storm. Today I will not ask You to silence the wind. I ask only that You give me the courage never to take my eyes off You. I ask only for the inner openness to hear You say to me, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid”; to hear You say, “Come”; and also to hear You ask me, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” For I do not find my peace when the storm comes to an end, but when I am holding on to Your hand. You are greater than the fiercest storm. You are the One who saves me. Through every storm, help me to recognise You for who You are, “Truly you are the Son of God,” just as the disciples recognised You in the boat. Then the greatest miracle will truly have taken place. 

Amen.

 

Read Past Sunday Readings