Whereas Moses interceded for the\u00a0Israelites (Exodus 32:11-13<\/a>), Elijah appears to have reached the end of his tether (1 Kings 19:10<\/a>). Elijah complains about his lack of success, saying that\u00a0the people have abandoned God and he effectively condemn them. In saying this, there is the subtle implication that God’s promises have failed…<\/p>\n Then in the passage assigned for this Sunday, God reveals Himself to Elijah, indicating his patience, mercy and gentleness with His people.\u00a0In the text that follows afterwards, God gives Elijah instructions as to what to do next.<\/p>\n At the mountain of God, Horeb,\u00a0Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter.\u00a0Then the LORD said to him,\u00a0\u201cGo outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;\u00a0the LORD will be passing by.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains\u00a0and crushing rocks before the LORD\u2014\u00a0but the LORD was not in the wind.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n After the wind there was an earthquake\u2014\u00a0but the LORD was not in the earthquake.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n After the earthquake there was fire\u2014\u00a0but the LORD was not in the fire.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.\u00a0When he heard this,\u00a0Elijah hid his face in his cloak\u00a0and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Suggested Questions:<\/p>\n “…the LORD will be passing by…”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n …much like Jesus will do in this week’s Gospel…<\/p>\n “wind…earthquake…fire”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Moses met God on the same mountain among similar circumstances (Exodus 19:17-19<\/a>). The fact that God is not\u00a0“in the wind\/earthquake\/fire”<\/em><\/span>\u00a0appears to suggest that, despite Elijah’s complaints about the Children of Israel, God will not unleash His wrath upon them. Instead, he reveals himself in the\u00a0“tiny whispering sound”<\/span><\/em> indicating patience and mercy.<\/span><\/p>\n “Elijah hid his face in his cloak …”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n God had told Moses that nobody could see His face and live, so God sheltered Moses in the hollow of a rock (Exodus 33:18-23<\/a>). Likewise, here, Elijah is sheltered in the cave.<\/p>\n This psalm is a prayer for the renewal of God’s mercy upon His people. We read the latter portion of this psalm where God responds to His people’s pleas. God’s character of patience and mercy, which we saw in the First Reading, is on display here as He promises a time when there will be “kindness..truth…justice…peace…”<\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I will hear what God proclaims;<\/span><\/em> Kindness and truth shall meet;<\/span><\/em> Suggested Questions:<\/p>\n Commentary:<\/p>\n “…glory dwelling in our land…”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Elijah gets a taste of this glory in the First Reading. This psalm promises that a day will come when God’s glory will dwell in the land.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We continue working through Paul’s letter to the Romans in this Sunday’s Second Reading. In this Sunday’s passage we hear how Paul laments over the Israelites and their rejection (in general) of Jesus as the Messiah. Here he lists all of the benefits given to them by God which should have made it easier for them to recognise the Messiah when He came.<\/p>\n This passage is a challenge to every Christian to recognise all the benefits that God has given to enable us to become mature and discerning. \u00a0As we hear in Luke’s Gospel<\/a>, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded…”<\/em><\/p>\n Brothers and sisters:\u00a0I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie;\u00a0my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness\u00a0that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ<\/span>\u00a0for the sake of my own people,\u00a0my kindred according to the flesh.<\/span><\/em> Suggested Questions:<\/p>\n Commentary:<\/p>\n “I do not lie”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Paul appears to wish to defend himself against any accusation of indifference towards the Children of Israel (as one would imagine he sometimes would be given his success with the Gentiles)<\/p>\n “…my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit…”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Conscience obviously needs to be enlightened by the Holy Spirit if it is to be a reliable guide.<\/p>\n “…I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0The word used here is “anathema”, meaning cut off and handed over to God’s wrath. Paul says he would wish his own destruction if it meant that all his people could be saved. This desire for self-sacrifice reminds us of Christ’s sacrifice and is\u00a0reminiscent\u00a0of Moses’ intercession for Israel (Exodus 32:32<\/a>). It stands, however, in contrast to Elijah’s condemnation.<\/p>\n “They are Israelites…”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n These are the descendants of Jacob.<\/p>\n “…theirs the adoption…”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n …as God’s son (Exodus 4:22-23; Jeremiah 31:9; Hosea 11:1<\/a>).<\/p>\n “…the glory…”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n …which God unveiled to His people (Exodus 16:10<\/a>)<\/p>\n “…the covenants…”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n …to Abraham, Moses, David etc.\u00a0All of these items in this list are blessings that come from Israel’s covenant with God.<\/p>\n “…the giving of the law…”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n …on Sinai to Moses<\/p>\n “…the worship…”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n …both in the desert and in the Temple, rightly prescribed by God.<\/p>\n “…and the promises;”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n This may mean the covenant promises or the promise of the Messiah.<\/p>\n “…theirs the patriarchs”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The fathers in faith: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his sons.<\/p>\n “…and from them,\u00a0according to the flesh, is the Christ”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n …because Jesus was a Jew, from the line of David.<\/p>\n “…the Christ,\u00a0who is over all, God blessed forever”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n A statement of Jesus’ divinity.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n St. Peter is my Confirmation Saint and so I have often felt a real affinity with him, but I think this is one of those passages to which most people can relate. Although Jesus’ walking on water is found in three Gospels, Peter joins Him on the water only in Matthew. Peter steps out in faith, yet when he takes his eyes of Jesus and becomes afraid he starts to sink beneath the waves. So often it is with us also when we take our eyes off the Lord. Yet Peter has the good sense to cry out to Jesus who, being the Good Shepherd, rescues him and takes them all safely to dry land.<\/p>\n After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat<\/span>\u00a0and precede him to the other side,<\/span>\u00a0while he dismissed the crowds.<\/span>\u00a0After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.<\/span>\u00a0When it was evening he was there alone.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,<\/span>\u00a0was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.<\/span>\u00a0During the fourth watch of the night,<\/span>\u00a0he came toward them walking on the sea.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.<\/span>\u00a0\u201cIt is a ghost,\u201d they said, and they cried out in fear.<\/span>\u00a0At once Jesus spoke to them, \u201cTake courage, it is I; do not be afraid.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0Peter said to him in reply,<\/span>\u00a0\u201cLord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0He said, \u201cCome.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.<\/span>\u00a0But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;<\/span>\u00a0and, beginning to sink, he cried out, \u201cLord, save me!\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter,<\/span>\u00a0and said to him, \u201cO you of little faith, why did you doubt?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0After they got into the boat, the wind died down.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,<\/span>\u00a0\u201cTruly, you are the Son of God.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Suggested Questions:<\/p>\n Commentary:<\/p>\n “During the fourth watch of the night…”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n The “watches” (under the Roman system) were divided into four three-hour periods between 6pm and 6am. The “fourth watch” is therefore between 3am and 6am, the darkest part of the night. It is at this point Jesus arrives.<\/p>\n “…walking on the sea…”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The “Glossa Ordinaria<\/a>” says that mystically this points to Jedus’ sinlessness since he is free from the weight of sin.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a ghost\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n A common Jewish\u00a0superstition was that a ghost appearing at night signaled calamity. Perhaps they thought he was a water spirit?<\/p>\n “…it is I…”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n This appears to have a two-fold meaning. The first obvious meaning is that Jesus is identifying that it’s Him and that they shouldn’t be afraid. However, it also points to a divine claim: I AM. This is how God revealed Himself to Moses (Exodus 14:3<\/a>) and in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint), the same Greek phrase is found: “ego eimi”.<\/p>\n “Peter said to him in reply, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water'”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Peter, as bold as always. I love this guy \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n “Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus…”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Initially, Peter is able to walk on water at Jesus’ invitation.<\/p>\n “…but when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened…”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n When Peter took his eyes off Jesus and started to look at the\u00a0precarious position he was in, he starts to lose faith and becomes frightened<\/p>\n “Therefore…let us throw off everything that hinders…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith”\u00a0– Hebrews 12:2<\/em><\/p>\n Peter’s reaction here seems somewhat similar to Elijah’s in the First Reading.<\/p>\n \u201cLord, save me!\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The redeeming quality of Peter here is that he cries out for help. He might not have enough faith to continue to walk on water, but he at least has faith that Jesus will save him. “Lord I believe! Help me overcome my unbelief!” – Mark 9:24<\/em><\/p>\n “O you of little faith, why did you doubt”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Jesus identifies lack of faith as the problem.<\/p>\n “After they got into the boat, the wind died down”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n As with Elijah, after tumult, there is peace.<\/p>\n The disciples had already seen Jesus’ mastery over nature, something which is commonly associated with God in the Old Testament<\/a>: “He alone stretches out the heavens\u00a0and treads on the waves of the sea…..”<\/em> and “You rule over the surging sea;\u00a0when its waves mount up, you still them…”<\/em><\/p>\n “Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.'”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Through this demonstration of power, His disciples come to see more clearly Jesus’ divinity, setting up the later confessions by Peter (Matthew 16:16<\/a>) and the Centurion (Matthew 27:54<\/a>)<\/p>\n 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1: 1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a The events of this passage take place after Elijah has defeated the Prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:22-40). As a result of this humiliating defeat, Princess Jezebel has sworn to kill him (1 Kings 19:1-2). Elijah flees into the desert where, dejected and overcome by fear, he tells God<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,25],"tags":[400,2969,288,313],"class_list":["post-4131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-faith","category-sunday-lectionary","tag-catholicism","tag-featured","tag-lectionary","tag-st-peter"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4131"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56349,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4131\/revisions\/56349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
\nCommentary:<\/p>\nResponsorial Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14<\/h3>\n
\n the LORD \u2014 for he proclaims peace.<\/span><\/em>
\n Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,<\/span><\/em>
\n glory dwelling in our land.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
\n justice and peace shall kiss.<\/span><\/em>
\n Truth shall spring out of the earth,<\/span><\/em>
\n and justice shall look down from heaven.<\/span><\/em>
\n
\n<\/em><\/span> The LORD himself will give his benefits;<\/span><\/em>
\n our land shall yield its increase.<\/span><\/em>
\n Justice shall walk before him,<\/span><\/em>
\n and prepare the way of his steps.<\/span><\/em>
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n
Reading II: Rom 9:1-5<\/h3>\n
\n They are Israelites;\u00a0theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,\u00a0the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;\u00a0theirs the patriarchs, and from them,\u00a0according to the flesh, is the Christ,\u00a0who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n
Gospel: Mt 14:22-33<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/walk_on_water-300x271.jpg\")
We continue on from last week’s “Feeding of the Multitude” to an event recounted in three of the four Gospel accounts – Jesus walking on water. In this event we see Jesus’ divinity on display as he presents Himself to His disciples in the frightening circumstances of wind and waves, demonstrating His dominion over nature and identifying Himself in the same terms in which God revealed Himself to Moses (“I Am”<\/em>). From this, His disciples recognise Him as “the Son of God”<\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/save_peter-254x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"