NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

To Trust – To Risk – To entrust

First Reading ( 1 Kings 19:9,11-13 ): The Prophet Elijah recognized God in the wind.
Second Reading (Rom 9:1-5): Paul willingly endured curses for the sake of his people
Gospel (Mt 14:22-33) : Jesus walked on the water
Chinese Classics:
-“Jumping over adverse circumstances” (1)
-“The story of: Ci Fei killed the dragon”(2)

“By this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ (Mt 14:22-33)

When the apostles saw Jesus walking on the water they mistook him for a ghost. Do we sometimes mistake God for a ghost, or a ghost for God?

The reason the apostles thought Jesus was a ghost was because it was very dark. In the darkness we cannot always distinguish right from wrong, good from bad. Christ is the Light and only from the light that shines from him are we able to distinguish good and evil, righteousness and wickedness.

When Peter saw Jesus he said, “Lord, if it is you…”

‘If it is you…’ shows that he was not yet sure. In doubtful circumstances such as that he continued, ‘Lord if it is you, command me to walk towards you on the water!’ One of Peter's characteristics was that he was willing and dared to try.

‘If it is you…’ In life it is not always necessary to have complete proof or hundred percent safety. Faith itself is our guarantee. Though we cannot see clearly, actually God is always with us.

When Peter heard Jesus say, “Come!” he immediately jumped into the water and walked towards Jesus. This was what “jumping over adverse circumstances” is about.

There are many “adverse circumstances” in our lives, many crises we do not understand and cannot control. We need to jump over them. We need to “jump” with faith.

When we have had an argument with someone, do we need to seek reconciliation or not? Should we be the first to stretch out our hand and speak? We have no proof that the other will accept it. If the other person rejects it we will be very embarrassed. But if we put aside this possibility of failure we will have done what we should and have had the courage to be the first to stretch out our hand. That is to ‘jump’ with faith.

When parents raise their children they do not know if they will turn out to be good or bad, will they repay their early efforts, or are the parents ‘preparing for a rainy day’ and looking for some insurance of security in their old age? They do not need assurance or proof that this will happen. They love their children and want to give them their time and love. That also is being willing to ‘jump’ into the future.

When people are preparing to marry they will promise before God, “My dear, I solemnly take you for my wife/husband and promise that from this moment on, in good and bad times, in sickness and in health, I will love and respect you, until death do us part. May God be witness to my oath.”

I will love and respect you ‘forever,’ ‘no matter’ whether sick or healthy, in good or bad times. What guarantee is there, what proof? None whatsoever! It is a ‘jumping’. It is a ‘permanent commitment.’

In the church, in school, in society, when we accept a responsibility or take on a public office, or perform an important task, I cannot promise I will have the ability or strength to achieve success, but I think I am able to be a responsible citizen or student, so I “jump” into the unknown.

There is a story called “Ci Fei Killed the Dragon” in The Spring and Autumn Annals of Lu. Ci Fei was a man with a treasured sword. He was traveling in a boat one day when two dragon-like aquatic animals entangled themselves around his boat. The people on the boat all thought that they were going to die. Ci Fei picked up the sword and said, “If I could not use this treasured sword to kill these animals, what good is this sword to me?” Having said that, he jumped into the river and fought with the animals. He killed the animals and saved all the people on the boat. For Ci Fei, it was a jump over adverse circumstances.

Peter did this also. He said, ‘Lord if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’

He was almost sure it was Jesus but not totally. But though he was not absolutely sure he was willing to ‘jump,’ and from the safety of the boat he jumped into the churning waves. It was a jump of faith.

But Scripture continues that when Peter saw the strength of the waves he became afraid.

Our faith must be tried over and over again in order to become strong and activated in the midst of the turbulent waves, carried over into the churning water.

When Peter saw himself sinking he called out loudly, ‘Lord, save me!’ When we ‘sink’ or meet difficulties we should never, never forget to call out, ‘O Lord, save me.’

God is within our hearts and actually all around us, but we do not see Him. God is truly the God who is everywhere.

Let us always have faith and live and walk with God. And let us have the faith to leave the safe boat and jump into the churning waters, because Jesus will walk to us on the water. There we need only to have faith and know how to rely on him and call out, ‘Lord, save me.’ And for sure God will stretch out a hand to help us.

(1)邊際境遇的跳躍。
(2)次非斬蛟