Tuesday of 18th Week in Ordinary Time
Walking on Water
The prophet Jeremiah first reminds the people of the punishment for their infidelity, but then he opens the perspectives to a beautiful restoration, when Israel shall be again God’s people and God will be their God.
The symbolism of the gospel narrative is very strong. Water is evil, which swallows up. Jesus, the Lord, is mightier. He invites the disciple and the whole Church to take the risk of faith of following him. Faith is insecure by itself; we have to pass through the storms of life between faith and fear. But the Lord is there, unseen: It is I, I am with you. Do not be afraid.
First Reading: Jeremiah 30:1-2; 12-15; 18-22
This is the Message Jeremiah received from God: “God’s Message, the God of Israel: ‘
“This is God’s Message:
“‘You’re a burned-out case,
as good as dead.
Everyone has given up on you.
You’re hopeless.
All your fair-weather friends have skipped town
without giving you a second thought.
But I delivered the knockout blow,
a punishment you will never forget,
Because of the enormity of your guilt,
the endless list of your sins.
So why all this self-pity, licking your wounds?
You deserve all this, and more.
Because of the enormity of your guilt,
the endless list of your sins,
I’ve done all this to you.
Write everything I tell you in a book.
“Again, God’s Message:
“‘I’ll turn things around for Jacob.
I’ll compassionately come in and rebuild homes.
The town will be rebuilt on its old foundations;
the mansions will be splendid again.
Thanksgivings will pour out of the windows;
laughter will spill through the doors.
Things will get better and better.
Depression days are over.
They’ll thrive, they’ll flourish.
The days of contempt will be over.
They’ll look forward to having children again,
to being a community in which I take pride.
I’ll punish anyone who hurts them,
and their prince will come from their own ranks.
One of their own people shall be their leader.
Their ruler will come from their own ranks.
I’ll grant him free and easy access to me.
Would anyone dare to do that on his own,
to enter my presence uninvited?’ God’s Decree.
“‘And that’s it: You’ll be my very own people,
I’ll be your very own God.’”
Gospel: Matthew 15:1-2; 10-14
After that, Pharisees and religion scholars came to Jesus all the way from Jerusalem, criticizing, “Why do your disciples play fast and loose with the rules?”
He then called the crowd together and said, “Listen, and take this to heart. It’s not what you swallow that pollutes your life, but what you vomit up.”
Later his disciples came and told him, “Did you know how upset the Pharisees were when they heard what you said?”
Jesus shrugged it off. “Every tree that wasn’t planted by my Father in heaven will be pulled up by its roots. Forget them. They are blind men leading blind men. When a blind man leads a blind man, they both end up in the ditch.”
Prayer
Lord our God,
there is a constant tension in us
between fear and faith
as we are battling with the winds and the waves
that threaten our faithfulness to the gospel.
Make us accept, Lord,
that faith is never secure
or acquired once and for all.
Make it grow in us day after day,
that we may not be faint-hearted
but resolutely follow your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Reflection:
2 August 2022
Matthew 14:22-36
“Come to me!”
Matthew is describing, with the biblical language, the situation of the Christian communities of his time. They were “tormented” by many trials. He literally used the term “tortured”, or “tormented”. He had used the same word previously, where the men possessed by the evil spirits asked Jesus: Have you come here before the time to torture us? [Matthew 8:29]; in other Jewish writings, this term has been used to refer to political torture and oppression. Matthew had in mind the tortures, confronting believers in his community.
Pope Francis had described this passage as a beautiful icon of the faith of Apostle Peter. In the voice of Jesus who tells him: “Come!”, he recognizes the echo of the first encounter he had with Jesus on the shore of that very lake, and right away, once again, he leaves the boat and goes toward the Teacher. And this time around, he walks on the waters! A faithful and ready response to the Lord’s call always enables one to achieve extraordinary things. Remember, Jesus himself had told us that we are capable of performing miracles with faith in Him, faith in his word, faith in his voice.
Peter however begins to sink when he allows himself to be overwhelmed by the hardships around him. The character of Peter, with his passion and his weaknesses, can describe our own faith: ever fragile and impoverished, anxious and frightened and yet victorious amid the storms and dangers of the world, the Christian community walks in faith to meet the Risen Lord.
Jesus had let them battle alone on the boat in the dark. Only when it was early in the morning did he approach them. Matthew is giving clear references to the liberating presence and action of God. The fourth watch of the night had been the time when God had liberated the fleeing Israelites from their oppression under Pharaoh, going ahead of them and leading them across the waters.
When Jesus got into the boat, the wind ceased. A boat which braves the storms and sometimes seems on the point of sinking is an image of the Church. What saves her is not the skill and courage of her crew members, but the faith that the Lord would walk through the storms to take his place in the boat. Faith gives us the certainty of Jesus’ presence always beside us, of his hand which grasps us to pull us out and lift us up from the dangers of the evil around.