Despair and fear seem to be on the rise in our society. If it is not about daily stories of hate crimes, people being killed by guns or knives, destruction from war or weather, it concerns political unrest or general negativity in every plausible scenario. There is no escape because social media in all of its outlets believes it needs to notify everyone, whether you want to know or not.
Elijah, the prophet who
last Sunday appeared with Moses at Jesus’ Transfiguration, is in such terrible
straits in this Sunday’s first reading from Kings that he prays for death
before experiencing God on Mount Sinai. He no longer believes there is a
purpose for which God has called him to act, but God disagrees and brings him
to the same mountain God revealed His covenant to Moses, a precursor to Jesus’
covenant with us.
St. Matthew’s Gospel
has the Apostles in a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee being knocked about by
a violent storm. They are so fearful they
will die; they call out to Jesus, who is walking on the same water, to save
them; which he does.
We, who are baptized
believers in the Catholic Church, also share our difficult times of fear and
despair, often forgetting that God is here for us no matter what negativities
we face in our lives.
When God reached out to
Elijah in the desert and to the Apostles in the sea, he was challenging their
faith. It is one thing to believe we
might be harmed or lose something because of the circumstances. It is quite another to have fear in reference
to God which includes reverence, holding God in awe because of who He is and
what He does for his disciples.
Just as Elijah and the
Apostles were blessed with God’s gifts of prophecy and healing because of their
faith, we too are given gifts to share God’s graces with all we meet. By doing so, God ensures our journey to
heaven, though plagued by Satan’s demons and sinfulness, is protected with
God’s love, mercy and forgiveness in all we are and do if we focus on faith. We need not fear because God is at our side.
Let us take this week
to focus on what God’s expectations of us are in the world. As we do, we need to remember that He has
given us all the gifts we need to overcome whatever despair or fear we may
feel. God’s courage, strength and wisdom
will be enough for us to not only overcome the current situation we face, but
give us whatever we need to do so in a way we can push aside our sin nature for
the win at any time we need to do so.
We must focus on our
faith, to overcome fear and despair.
Then, and only then, will the forces of evil be crushed and the goodness
of God shine before all who believe in hope.
Reading 1: First Kings 19: 9a, 11-13a
Reading 2: Romans 9: 1-5
Gospel: Matthew 14: 22-33
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