One Minute Reflection – 7 August – Tuesday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year B – Today’s Gospel: Matthew 14:22–36
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “O man of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”…Matthew 14:31-33
REFLECTION – “Today’s Gospel reminds us that faith in the Lord and in His Word does not open a way for us where everything is easy and calm, it does not rescue us from life’s storms. Faith gives us the assurance of a Presence, the presence of Jesus who encourages us to overcome the existential tempests, the certainty of a hand that grabs hold of us so as to help us face the difficulties, pointing the way for us even when it is dark.
Faith, in short, is not an escape route from life’s problems but it sustains the journey and gives it meaning. This episode offers a wonderful image of the reality of the Church throughout the ages – a boat that, as she makes the crossing, must also weather contrary winds and storms which threaten to capsize her. What saves her are not the courage and qualities of her men, the guarantee against shipwreck is faith in Christ and in his Word. This is the guarantee, faith in Jesus and in His Word. We are safe on this boat, despite our wretchedness and weaknesses, especially when we are kneeling and worshipping the Lord, like the disciples who, in the end, fell down before Him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God!”...Pope Francis – Angelus, 13 August 2017
PRAYER – Almighty God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, You enabled St Pope Sixtus II and his companions to lay down their lives for Your Word and to bear witness to Jesus, never fearing as they were tossed around in the tempest but always trusting in Your saving grace. Give us a ready and true faith, the courage to profess it and to hold tightly to the hand of Your Son in all of life’s storms. May the prayers of St Pope Sixtus, his companions and St Cajetan, fill us with strength. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
AnaStpaul 