The fourteenth chapter of Matthew, from which today’s gospel reading is taken, begins with Herod expressing his fear that Jesus is John the Baptist, risen from the dead.  “That is why miraculous powers are at work in him!” the king exclaims.  Matthew is in the midst of recounting for us what a controversial figure Jesus has become.  At the end of chapter 13, Jesus has been denounced by the inhabitants of his own town, and leaves after telling them that, “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.”  And we’re told that, “…he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”  Now Herod, racked with guilt at his murder of the Baptist, fears that Jesus has appeared as some sort of divine retribution. 

Matthew then goes on to tell us the details of how and why John was beheaded by Herod at the whim of the daughter of his brother’s wife, which was a direct result of John’s preaching against the somewhat soap opera like life of the Herod family.  After removing his headless corpse, the disciples of John tell Jesus the news.

Understandably, Jesus just wants to get a way for a little quiet time and prayer, and goes off in a boat to a solitary place.  But the crowds follow him on foot to this lonely place, and the Lord takes pity on them and joins the crowd to heal the sick that have been brought out to him.  The time of day grows late, and when the disciples suggest that the crowds should be dispersed to find food, Jesus disagrees and the feeding of the five thousand takes place. 

Finally, Jesus is determined to get the time for prayer that he seeks, so he sends the disciples out across the Sea of Galilee in a boat, dismisses the crowds, and goes up the mountainside by himself to pray, which he is finally able to do.  Now the stage is set for the dramatic miracle that is the subject of today’s reading.

Matthew tells us that the boat bearing the Twelve is well offshore and is being tossed about by a stormy sea that has resulted from a strong wind.  During the fourth watch of the night, that time between three a.m. and dawn, the disciples are terrified to see none other than Jesus himself walking towards them across the water.  Believing he is a ghost, they cry out in fear and it is Jesus who comforts them when he answers, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 

Peter is emboldened enough by this that when he recognizes that it truly is the Master who speaks, he accepts Jesus invitation to come, and begins to walk out towards him on the water.  But as Peter sees how fearsome the sea is, his faith wavers and he begins to sink, calling out to Jesus, “Lord save me!” as he starts to go down into the water.  And Jesus, while chastising Peter for his lack of faith, reaches out and catches him.  And as they enter the boat together, the wind dies down, the sea is calmed, and the disciples as one confess to Jesus that, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Today, Jesus has been denounced by too many of the inhabitants of our own hometown, and the miracles that he is able to do in our midst are limited by the sins of a selfish human nature that results from a lack of faith: Ours. That is the message of the gospel today:  Faith saves us.  This we know.  But the lack of faith leads to destruction, and so we must learn that faith is a coin with two distinct sides.  Those on these streets that teach a faith based on one’s own ability to bully and to take, teach no faith at all.  Instead they convince too many to follow those ways of the devil that lead to destruction.  “The streets” is merely a tough and cool sounding name for the hell of drugs and crime that lure too many into the trap that opens into the bondage of these walls.  And so the streets don’t lead anywhere. They are a dead end that opens into another avenue that is all too familiar to us: the rocks.  But take heart!  If it is a lack of faith that leads one here, then it is accepting faith – the true faith found in Jesus Christ – that leads one out.

Today, we sail the boat of our life across this stormy sea of incarceration.  Today, we are blown by winds of doubt and tossed by waves of sin, as we seek to find the homeport of freedom on the coast of a land we have heard of where true happiness prevails.  Now, in the fourth watch of the night, in the darkest time of life, we look up and see none other than Jesus, walking toward us across this sea.  We listen and he calls out over the howl of the ill winds that blow in here to those who would be his disciples.  In this time and in this place, he speaks the same comforting words that he said to his disciples of old, “Take courage, it is I!  Do not be afraid!”  And to those who hear his voice and trust in him like Peter, he calls out, “Come!”

Today, Jesus beckons to us to boldly step from the foundering boat of false pride and human misery that our lives have become, and walk to him on the sea of these modern times:  A sea that is raked with the winds of injustice, and wild with the frenzy of sin that is the storm the devil has wrought.  And we are assured that when we, like Peter, call out to him in terror at all that goes on around us, “Lord save me!” that we too will feel the strong arm of our Savior uphold us and guide us to the safety we have found in him.  And when we fail in our walk with him, and our Lord chastises us for our own lack of faith, we should take heart and know that we have claimed the courage of Peter, for of the Twelve it was he alone who was so brave as to leave the boat in the first place.

Today the invitation is made.  Have faith, do not doubt!  For Jesus is here with us.  Take courage!  Do not be afraid.  Recognize, as even Herod did, that, “…miraculous powers are at work in him!”  Cry out to him as Peter did, “Lord save me!” and feel the winds of doubt die down as the sea of sin is calmed.  Feel his strong yet gentle touch uplift you and sustain you, for his love is great and he longs so much for your freedom and salvation.  Take this love today, for it is yours.  And return this love today, for it is his.  Let him know that in our hometown and our house he is greatly honored, for he has performed many miracles among us.  Join with all of his disciples across the ages and with the Twelve within the boat that day and do him homage, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
          

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Responsorial Psalm Reading 2 Gospel

Reading 1
1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a

At the mountain of God, Horeb,
Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter.
Then the LORD said to him,
“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;
the LORD will be passing by.”
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains
and crushing rocks before the LORD—
but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake—
but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was fire—
but the LORD was not in the fire.
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14

R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD — for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Reading II
Rom 9:1-5

Brothers and sisters:
I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie;
my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness
that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ
for the sake of my own people,
my kindred according to the flesh.
They are Israelites;
theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
theirs the patriarchs, and from them,
according to the flesh, is the Christ,
who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Gospel
Mt 14:22-33

After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”


Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.