One Minute Reflection – 9 August – Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Readings: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13, Psalms 85:9-14, Romans 9:1-5, Matthew 14:22-33 and the Memorial of St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1891-1942) Martyr
“O man of little faith, why did you doubt?” … Matthew 14:31
REFLECTION – “Once again the disciples are a plaything of the waves and a storm, similar to the first one (Mt 8:4), hurls itself against them. The first time, however, they had Jesus with them, whereas this time they are alone and left to themselves. … I think this was because our Saviour wanted to stir their sleeping hearts and, by throwing them into a panic, he inspired in them a strong desire for His presence and kept the remembrance of Him constantly in their mind. Hence, He did not come to their help at once but “during the fourth watch of the night he came towards them, walking on the sea”. …
Peter, ever ebullient, always getting in before the other disciples, said: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water” … He didn’t say, “Command me to walk on the water” but “come to you,” for there was none who loved Jesus so much as he. He did the same thing after the Resurrection – unable to bear moving as slowly as the others in the boat, he jumped into the water to get there before them and satisfy his love for Christ. … Getting out of the boat, then, Peter went towards Jesus, more delighted to be going towards Him than to be walking on the water. But after confronting the greatest danger, that of the sea, he was to give in to a lesser, that of the wind. Such is human nature! Often, having overcome serious dangers we are conquered by lesser ones … Peter had not yet been set free from all his fear … in spite of Christ’s presence beside him. For it is of no use to be beside Christ if one is not close to him by faith. This is what emphasises the distance separating master from the disciple …
“O man of little faith, why did you doubt?” So if Peter’s faith had not faltered he would have resisted the wind without difficulty. And the proof of this is that Jesus grasped Peter while leaving the wind to continue blowing … Just as the mother bird supports with her wings, as it is about to fall, the fledgling that has prematurely left the nest and draws it back into the nest, so does Christ with regard to Peter.” … St John Chrysostom (345-407) Bishop of Constantinople, Father and Doctor of the Church – Homilies on Saint Matthew’s Gospel, no. 50, 1-2
PRAYER – Lord our God, the Light and Creator of Light, grant that faithfully pondering on all that is holy, we may ever live in the splendour of Your presence. May we live in Your Presence, withstand the winds of the world and grow daily in faith. By the help and intercession of St Teresa Benedicta, You may never permit us to separate ourselves from You and thus we may come, to completion in You, Through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
AnaStpaul 