Dear People of God,
May the Lord give you peace in the Holy Spirit.
It is on 13th August 2023. We celebrate the 19th Sunday in Ordinary time.
We reflect on 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13 / Romans 9:1-5 and Matthew 14:22-33.
“The one who believes will not be disturbed.” (Is.28:16)
Are we in a storm? Are we running away from God? Who or what is chasing after us?
We meet three people in the readings namely Elijah, Paul and Peter who go through some sort of spiritual storm in their lives.
The ideal is unreachable at times, yet it is the one thing we all need to strive forward to reach. Out of frustration and fear, we bump into a moment of release and renewal. Running away from God will never take us anywhere. No matter who wants us to do away with, still there is hope and blessings in God alone.
In sincerity and gentleness, we encounter God more intimately than in a shouting environment and grand performances of healing miracles.
It is mostly in that subtle, sacred, singular moments of faithfulness that make us fall back to God. In the first reading, prophet Elijah the last man standing presents himself before God on Mount Horeb. God met him in an unassuming way.
The prophet wanted God to perform a mighty work, but God did not and therefore he was angry with God. God does not come into our lives mostly with lots of noise.
God does permeate into our lives in a very simple, silent way when we have no way to go. At times, there are many people who wish to harm us, yet God has a bigger plan for us to do something for God and God’s people. Untangling the knots of lives is indeed challenging mostly when we do it ourselves.
Are we running away from our sinfulness and fear? God still wants to train us for His works to be completed when we are anxious, worried, fearsome, and feel so tiny in front of mammoth issues of life. God can deal with any issues of our lives when we become truly commit our life to God. Even though in the past (Ex.19:16-19), God revealed himself in the earthquake, the wind, and the fire, now God wishes to reveal himself in the ‘sound of a gentle breeze.’ (1 Kgs.19:12).
In silence and gentleness, God enters our lives always. If we have single-hearted and mindedness, we shall surely experience the dabbing of the Spirit of God in our lives.
When we are crippled in fear we fumble and fake our original selves. Fear freezes faith and fragments hope in God and trust in people around. Ending our life cannot set us free from fear we face.
God assures God’s presence in an unassuming way.
Be not afraid. Everything that is evil and harmful is passing by. “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” (1 Kgs.19:11). In noisy rolling rocks, the wind, the earthquake, and fire are difficult to trace God but sacred silence we can face God.
We all have a surprising turn in our life. God meets us in our life when we are least prepared. When we are afraid of losing our life and running away from a horrifying life situation, smelling death, sickness and pain, grief in our life, we will hear a feeble voice right from within each one of us by a gentle touch, a smile, a sacred silence, and cooling breeze.
In our silent sanctity that is secretly treasured by God in which we meet the others through our humble service. The divine presence accompanies us at the peak of our life situation. God never breaks us down but surely bends us low the way we respond to use us for the community.
Faith in God diminishes in fear.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Ps.27:1). “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” (Ps.23:4).
When the Lord is near, there is no fear.
God bless you.