Theme: His Calming Presence Steadying the Waves. 

In this hostile world marked by disunity, warfare, and catastrophes, it has become increasingly difficult to hear God’s voice. Moreover, the unabating hostility towards our faith often makes us reluctant to seek divine guidance, as the Lord appears distant.

 

But will the Lord ever reject man whom He loves and cares for? St. Paul reminds us in the second reading that our eternal God revealed Himself to His People Israel, established a covenant with them, and that from their race came Christ, our Lord and God. However, Paul was saddened that his fellow kinsmen did not heed God’s message through the Messiah. Nevertheless, Paul prayed and remained hopeful that God would extend His mercy. 

 

In other words, Paul believed that the Lord would hear his cry for the salvation of his kinsmen. Hence, through Paul, our Lord Jesus revealed that He will not abandon His own and is willing to journey with us, renewing His infinite love for us. To the one whose faith is an admixture of fear and doubt, the revelation of God’s interventive and redeeming mercy might sound like a fairy tale, given their challenges and fears.  

 

Therefore, like Elijah in the first reading, we must have a personal relationship with the Lord and be willing to allow God to deal with our persecutors.  Hence, we must be prepared to forgive those who have offended us and allow the Lord to vindicate us.  And so, in pain and confusion, we should be willing to say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening,” and be prepared to follow that voice to the mount of peace and mercy.

 

That voice addressed the disciples in the boat in the Gospel. Like Elijah and Paul, the disciples, overwhelmed by sorrow and distress, cried out to the Lord to end the torment of the waves. Our Lord Jesus intervened: He urged them not to fear, strengthened their faith through St Peter’s action, and calmed the waves.

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Thus, we must be cautious, yet neither fear the powers of today’s Jezebels nor the assaults of those bent on humiliating us. We must place our confidence in the Power of Wisdom, who understands our challenges and whose Spirit enters the domain of our battles, advising us to withdraw and serving as our silent buffer zone. Yes, in this hostile world, silent communion with God must remain unaltered if we hope to calm the waves of life.
 

 

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