August 13, 2023

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

When Our Faith Is Shaken

Greeting (See Responsorial Psalm)

I will listen to the voice of the Lord,
for it speaks of peace.
His help is near for those who fear him.
May the Lord with his help be always with you.

R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

Is the Lord to be found also in the chaos of our doubts, our confusion, our hesitant faith? Can he still be found in the disorder of our time? He is there, in the storms and difficulties of the little world of our own heart and in the wide, divided and threatening world, but it is hard to recognize him there. If we really encounter the Lord in faith, friendship and deep love, then the Lord makes everything become quiet, even when the stormwind keeps blowing, for the Lord makes his presence felt. Keep trusting, keep believing, for the Lord is here with us.

Penitential Act

When we sink into sin, we cry out:
Lord, save me, for I am perishing.
Let us ask the Lord to extend his saving hand.
                  (pause)
Lord Jesus, you ask us:
People of little faith, why do you doubt?
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, when we are full of fear,
you tell us: courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, we ask you: if it is you, tell us
to come to you across the water
and to follow you all the way:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord,
calm the storms caused in us by sin;
give us your peace and lead us
to the joys of everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray God
for a firm faith that cannot be shaken
                  (pause)
God our Father,
we believe in you, in your love and your care.
But you know how our faith is often tried
by doubts, uncertainties and fears.
Make our faith strong enough to believe
that your Son Jesus is with us
to revive our faith and to give us the courage
to live with the risks of doubts and ambiguities,
and to confirm in their faith
our brothers and sisters in need.
Keep us hoping, and let Jesus
take us by the hand and lead us
to you, our God and Father for ever. R/ Amen.

First Reading (1 Kgs 19:19a,11-13a): After the Storm Came A Gentle Breeze

The fiery prophet Elijah is discouraged when all his efforts do not lead to lasting results. He marches to the desert, to the mountain of God. There God comes to him, not in fire and storm but as a gentle breeze and gives him fresh courage.

Second Reading (Rom 9:1-5): May My People Accept Christ

Paul is very sad that the Jews, the people of the promise, have not accepted Christ. When the promised Savior came, they did not recognize him.

Gospel (Mt 14:22-23): Tell Me to Come to You across the Water

Peter stands for the Church and also for each of us. If we rely only on ourselves in the storms of our times, we are in danger. If we trust in Jesus Christ, we are safe.

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.”

 Intercessions

Let us pray with great faith to our God who is ever-present to people. He speaks to us with a voice of peace. Let us say: R/ Lord, let us see your kindness.

–   Lord, you are not in lightning and thunder of anger and revenge. Hear the cries of your Church wherever it is persecuted and deprived of freedom, we pray: R/ Lord, let us see your kindness.

–   Lord, you are not in the tornado of those who inflict harm on their opponents; be merciful on their victims and on those who hurt them, we pray: R/ Lord, let us see your kindness.

–   Lord, you are not in the earthquake of those who sow fear and cause wars. Give peace and justice to their victims and also to those who hurt them, we pray: R/ Lord, let us see your kindness.

–   Lord, you are not in the fire of those who judge and condemn other people. Show your gentleness to those who are their victims and convert the hearts of those who hurt others, we pray: R/ Lord, let us see your kindness.

–   Lord, you are in the gentle breeze of people who try to serve you well and who bring joy to their families and communities. Stay close to them and give them courage, we pray: R/ Lord, let us see your kindness.

Father, we hope in you, we trust in your word. Be near to us, let your Son be our companion in life now and for ever. R/ Amen.

Prayer unnoticed—it takes place normally during the Agnus Dei—and the Gifts

You wish to reassure us,
Lord our God,
how much you are with us
through him who is our food and drink,
your Son Jesus Christ.
May he give us the courage
to walk with him the stormy road of faith
and to take the risk of love.
May we thus set our fears aside
and make his reassuring word
the foundation of our life and work,
until we reach the haven of peace
in you, our God for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

With one heart and one voice, let us express our trust in God, for he gave us his Son Jesus as our Savior and companion in life.

Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray with the Lord Jesus
his prayer of trust in our heavenly Father. R/ Our Father…

Deliver Us

Deliver us Lord, from sin and every evil
and grant us your peace in our day.
Keep us free from discouragement
and from all paralyzing fears.
Help us to discover behind obstacles
the saving hand of your Son,
that we may march forward with joyful hope
toward the full coming
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom…

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus, the Son of God,
who says to us today:
“Take courage, it is I;
come to me and walk with me
across dangers and obstacles.”
Happy are we to receive the Lord
and to have him renew our faith and strength.

R/ Lord, I am not worthy…

Prayer after Communion

Lord God, Father of all,
you invite us through Jesus, your Son,
to leave our timid security
and to come across the water with him
to commit ourselves to you and to others.
Even though we do not see his hand
reaching out to us and holding us,
give us enough trusting faith to be certain
that with him we shall overcome.
Build up your future among us,
until Jesus leads us across to you,
our God for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

Blessing

This Eucharist has been, I hope,
a heartening experience of faith.
We have expressed our faith
that Jesus our Lord is with us,
that he never abandons us,
that he stays with us in the storms of life,
that he extends his helping hand to us
and that with him we can overcome all obstacles.
May this hope and trust always grow in us,
with the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Let us go in the peace of Christ. R/ Thanks be to God.

Reflection:

13 August Sunday Mt 14:22-33

Faith

Today, the Gospel presents us with the theme of faith. And it does so in a very graphic way with an example that we can all understand. Believing is somehow like getting out of the safety of the boat and jumping into the water in the middle of the storm. That is what Jesus asks Peter to do. In a way he challenges him to trust him. But Peter hesitates because he feels insecure. It is possible that we often feel like Peter, insecure. And we seek reassurances that, like Peter, we will not find.

Sometimes we wish that faith were the result of a scientific demonstration. Or that it had been a miracle or something extraordinary that had provoked our faith. In the end, faith is supposed to put us in relationship with God. And God is considered in these cases as a distant, powerful and ultimately dangerous being for people’s lives. Since we do not feel safe in front of him, we want convincing proof.

The reality is that faith is the basic attitude on which any relationship is established. A very clear example of this can be found in the love relationship of a couple. Neither partner can ever say that he or she is absolutely sure of the other’s love. He or she only has signs: smiles, words, caresses, phone calls… but nothing more. These indications confirm love but are never conclusive proof. In the end, the person, each one, has to step forward and trust. And trust each other.

It is exactly the same with God. We have no choice but to trust him. Because we do not have and never will have conclusive proof of his existence. We only have witnesses. One major witness: Jesus, who spent his life doing good, healing the sick and loving everyone he met along the way precisely in the name of God. He told us that his love was the fruit of God’s love, that he loved us with the same love of God and that we have to trust him. And we have many other witnesses. The many men and women who have followed him, who have trusted him and who have lived loving and doing good. But we have no proof of that love. We must trust. In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites us to throw ourselves into the water, to live without fear, trusting in God’s love. He invites us to believe in him and trust that with him we can overcome the dangers of life. Because his love is always with us.

 Faith – Youtube