ISAIAH 55: 1-3
PSALM 144: 8-9, 15-18
ROMANS 8: 35, 37-39
MATTHEW 14: 13-21
We all know that life is never smooth sailing. There are many storms in our lives.
It may be because of a loss of a love one or a job. It may be because of a broken or strained relationship. It may be because of a serious illness. What has been our experience in those times?
It would usually be one of sadness, or anger or frustration or fear or confusion. It is never a good feeling. It might create in us a determination to work things out.
Where was God for you when this happened?
There are many Christians who are being persecuted and lives being threatened in many parts of the world. I wonder if they have asked, “Where is God?”
There is conflict in the Ukraine, the Middle East, and many other countries. All sides may be praying to God for help. I wonder whose side God will take.
In the first reading, the prophet Elijah was facing a crisis in his mission. He was fleeing from Queen Jezebel who threatened to kill him. On the mountain of God, Elijah did not encounter God in the spectacular or powerful wind, earthquake or fire but in the gentle breeze.
Sometimes in the midst of the storms in our lives we have a certain expectation that God will do what we expect. Our expectations are sometimes of the spectacular. We then struggle to understand where God is or what God’s will is for us when things don’t go as we expect.
In the Gospel reading, the disciples are caught in a storm. In their struggles, Jesus appears to them. Peter wondering if it is Jesus is ready to walk towards Jesus on water. But soon the storm gets the better of him and he starts to sink.
How often we can be so enthusiastic in proclaiming our faith when all is well but start to doubt when the storms of life come our way. Faith is not something we can ever take for granted but must be nurtured always.
Our Gospel reading has a great lesson for us here. In the first part of the reading, we find Jesus going up by himself to pray. Here, is the Son of God taking time to pray. And if he who is God prays, what more each of us.
And we find that when Jesus holds out his hand to Peter that he is safe. And we find that when Jesus is with the disciples, that the storm stops.
Prayer is an essential part of our faith journey for it is when we spend time in daily prayer to God, letting God into our lives or sit with us in our boat, that we will come to know His love and will for us in the midst of storms of our lives. He……..is with us.
Peter started to sink simply because he took his eyes off Jesus. Prayer is about having our focus on Christ.
It does not mean that troubles will disappear, but Jesus will give us the strength to carry our cross for we will know that he walks besides us. When we let God into our lives, the Holy Spirit fills us with the wisdom to always seek the way and the life of God that seeks reconciliation and not brokenness and hatred.
And so may we never take our faith for granted but always seek to grow in faith through prayer that in times of crisis, our experience may be one of God’s gentleness calming the storms of our lives.