HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF THE EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR II. 03.08.2020.

Lord, save me

Readings: Jeremiah 28:1-17; Psalm 119 and Matthew 14:22-36. 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CHRIST IS NOT IN OUR BOAT? 

 

Dear friends in Christ, the liturgy of today calls us to reflect on one among the various miracles of Christ, how he walked on water and calmed the fears of his disciples.

 

We heard in the readings that Christ “made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.” Dismissing the crowds, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. There is something interesting Christ wants us to learn this act. We cannot be so busy doing the work of God and forget the God of the work. There is need for us to always create time for our private prayers. With our personal relationship with God, we derive strength to face the forces of the world. The forces are represented in this gospel pericope as wind and waves. When Christ was not in the boat, the boat was beaten by the waves and the wind was against them. While Christ was not with them physically, he was busy talking to God on their behalf and in the fourth watch of the night, which is the early hours of the morning, he came to them, walking on the sea and when they saw him, they were terrified, thinking it was a ghost. There fears is understandable because they were not with their master but failed to recognize him when he came. This very act of Christ was beyond their comprehension and so they expressed their fears, what our comedian Brother Shaggy will ask, “E shock you?”

 

We also read that Peter was overwhelmed seeing the master walking on water and said, “Lord, if it is you, bid me to come to you on the water.” Come was Christ response and he was also walking on water but when he saw the wind, he became afraid and began to sink. Christ has early told them, “It is I, do not be afraid.” While he had his focus on Christ, he was acting like Christ, he did unimaginable thing that himself and the others could not belief. The moment he loosed focus and turn to the wind; he began to sink. Peter realized he can do nothing without Christ and so he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Immediately, Christ saved him. For us, how often do we walk or attempt to walk without Christ? How often do we turn our eyes from Christ? Some of us have lost focus and prefer to drown in our evils that to call on Christ to save us. We are urged to learn from Peter’s weakness of little faith, that alone we can do nothing but with God we can do all things.

 

Finally, when Christ got into the boat with Peter, the storm, the waves and the winds all take their bows as St. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:10 and those in the boat worshipped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” We all need Christ in our boats, we need him in our homes and we need him in our hearts, for without him we will sink. Even when we think we do not need him, he needs us. When difficulties and challenges presses heavily on us, let us call on him like Peter and he will save us. May God save us from drowning in sin through Christ our Lord. Amen! Peace be with you!

 

Fr. Ken Dogbo, OSJ