NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
(I Kings 19:9.11-13; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:22-33)
Many parishes in cities of Europe and North America have experienced
drastic change over the last sixty years. Their majestic churches that once
held thousands of people every Sunday are now almost empty. They once had a
number of priests who once spent multiple hours each week confessing and
visiting the sick. Now the number of priests serving a parish has been reduced in
many cases to one. And often he has all that he can do covering Masses in two
or three parishes. It can be said that the contemporary church is in a
precarious situation like the one anticipated in the gospel today.
To appreciate what this reading teaches, we should
understand it as a representative of the Church in the second part of the first
century. The boat of the disciples tossed by the waves symbolizes the Church threatened
by various challenges in apostolic times. In Israel Christians experienced
growing rejection particularly after the destruction of the Temple in
Jerusalem. They were ejected from the synagogues where before they had prayed
with the Jews who did not believe in Christ.
It is true that the apostles had been successful elsewhere. But it is
also true that the ancient Christian communities had to deal new problems. False doctrines, impatience with the delay of
Jesus' return, and persecution sometimes severe put the gospel in danger.
The reading shows Jesus coming to rescue the Church in
distress. He mysteriously arrives to calm the disruptive elements of nature and
to assure his followers of his support. We see something vaguely similar
happening today at events like World Youth Day. In Lisbon the Spirit of Christ
boosted the faith of millions, both those who participated in the events and
those who followed them through the media. The presence of the pope, Jesus’
vicar, particularly lifted the spirits of the people. Although he is old, Pope
Francis has a heart as hopeful as that of the twenty-year-old.
We must think of the story of Peter walking on the water as
an image of the faithful following Jesus. All goes well for Peter when he keeps
his eyes fixed on Jesus. But once he takes his eyes off him, he finds himself
sinking into the deep waters. Today we must maintain hope in the promises Jesus
made to us and trust in his support. With him can navigate today's biggest
problems. We are not going to lose our way to salvation despite the harassment
of governments, the disaffection of members, even the betrayals on the part of
the clergy. But once we abandon Jesus as our goal and support, we are already
defeated. To stay solidly on the route we must teach his doctrine, practice his
charity, and pray to the Father in his name.
Changes characterize history. Now we live amidst technological changes that challenge our souls. Can artificial insemination change our understanding of procreation as a physical union between a man and a woman with God's help? Can artificial intelligence change our view of the human being as the image of God? These developments are not inevitable as long as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
