OMELIE / Omelie EN

13 ago 2023

13/08/2023 - 19th Sunday of the O.T. - Year A

13/08/2023 - 19th Sunday of the O.T. - Year A

1st reading 1Kings 19,9.11-13 from Psalm 84 2nd reading Rom 9,1-5 Gospel Mt 14,22-33

Let us listen to the testimony of the Apostle Paul. He makes a solemn statement to tell us about his deepest suffering. We would expect him to tell us that he suffers most of all from the rejection he has found in places where his preaching has been snubbed, or from the persecutions he has suffered in many cities, or from the sufferings of his long journeys or from the humiliations and tribulations of the prison in which he finds himself. No, his most acute suffering is the fact that his kinsmen, the Israelites, though chosen by God, though enjoying God's promises and his greatest goods, have not accepted the gospel.

From that people comes Jesus, yet they have not accepted him as Christ, as the Son of God, as the fulfiller of the Father's promises. Paul suffers for this, but he does not accuse anyone, because he remembers that he himself was a persecutor of Jesus and his Church. He was mysteriously pardoned, after having known the difficulty of accepting the good news of God's free love, a love that reached us precisely through Jesus.

Accepting Jesus is always an act of faith, of great faith, only possible for humble and poor people. The gospel presents us with one of the moments that helped Peter, indeed all the Twelve, to recognise the Master in his divinity. It was not enough for them to see, enjoy and participate in the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. The consequences of that miracle forced Jesus to send them off alone in the boat, so that they would not be swayed by the enthusiasm of the crowd. They would have been tempted to consider Jesus as an easy, convenient Messiah, a source of human glory.

Instead, Jesus himself, having left the crowd, goes up the mountain alone to pray. The disciples on the lake come into great difficulty because of the wind. He does not leave them alone, but goes to meet them walking on the water. They fail to recognise him: it is too strange to walk on water, impossible for a man. They are overcome with fear, for not even remotely can they admit that it is he: surely he is a ghost, they say, and one does not know what intentions ghosts have.

He realises this, and introduces himself by the name of God: 'I am'! That might be enough, for by now they know this name and they know that God can walk on water, as the psalms say. He also adds God's characteristic word: 'Do not fear'!

They are somewhat reassured, but Peter, to reassure himself, asks them to do the same, to walk on water like the Master. He asks to receive this order from him, because he wants to obey his Lord! And Jesus grants it to him.

At this point Peter first, and then all the others, realise how difficult it is to believe. He takes a few steps on the water, which seems solid ground to him, but one more gust of wind is enough to make faith disappear from Peter's heart. He immediately forgets Jesus, he no longer keeps his gaze fixed on him.

Without faith he can no longer even take a step, because he sinks into the water. Faith in Jesus is the solidity and security of life, it is the safe ground under one's feet.

Without faith, not only is the life of the disciple in danger, but society as a whole is no longer able to live, to be a help to its members; when faith in Jesus vanishes, all security collapses, one can no longer trust anyone, there are no longer any reference points to distinguish good from evil. This is the current situation of our world. Indeed, also of many members of the Church.

We need to find a suitable time and place to meet the Lord again, like Elijah on the mountain. Places and moments of solitude are necessary to listen to the gentle murmur of God's voice that wants to enter the depths of our hearts, to change them, to make them capable of a stable and firm faith even when the winds of fear, unbelief, and anti-God fashions blow.

The prophet Elijah, having fled in fear, found salvation on the mountain from the vengeance of Queen Jezebel. God assures him: he must not be afraid of men. And he gives him the order to return to support with his faith that of the people, which had dissolved to abandon itself to the comfort of idolatry. Elijah obeys and returns, and his faith guards and protects him. Before his eyes there is now only that God whom he cannot see, but who has met him in a totally unexpected way. Fear is no longer a part of his life, just as it is no longer a part of ours: in addition to the prophet, Peter's and Paul's experience now support us.