19th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 13th August, 2017
1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a; Rom 9:1-5; Mt 14:22-33
The mounting pressures of war and violence is felt across the globe today - irresponsible exchange of words at an alarmingly dangerous international level has made many an eye widen with stupor. The ongoing religious persecutions and inhuman fundamentalism is depraving the earth in its core. The Holy Father these days is continuously and strenuously calling for prayers and spiritual support to those who are unjustly made to suffer, those who are fighting a losing battle at the cost of their lives and their dignity as human persons. Explicit and Implicit persecutions are on from various segments of the society against us Christians for our faith and our belonging to the Church. This is the despicable scenario that fills our mind as we reflect on the readings of today.
Whether joys or sorrows, trials or triumphs, celebrations or temptations, successes or struggles, the Lord is. God is with us! God is present with us and God walks beside our tossed boats. God speaks to us in gentle whispers and caresses in our moments of discernment and decision making. In moments of struggles and strivings God is there as our stronghold. How convinced are we about the Lord's presence with us at all moments: Our God is a God for all seasons!
However, it is our responsibility to meet God...
We are invited to meet God IN THE CALM OF OUR LIFE... At moments when everything is calm and quiet, serene and simple, we tend to miss the presence of God. Grateful hearts behold that presence instantly and childlike spirits rejoice in that quietude. The Lord invites us through Prophet Elijah to behold the Lord in the "sound of sheer silence" (as the NRSV phrases it... 1 Kgs 19:13).
We are invited to meet God IN THE STORM OF OUR DAYS... Our lives never lack moments when storm clouds batter against our weak spirits. We shall not be moved, if we are sure of the Lord who is present with us. We shall remain strong and composed if we know that the Lord is around even if we are not able to see God because of the darkness that surrounds and because of the deafening noise that threatens. At times we may be misled to look at God and suspect God to be a ghost, that is look at things that are happening and villainise God, blaming God for every misery that is around. When things are settled, at hindsight we will recognise how good God is and how God has been with us all through those moments.
We are invited to meet God AS THE NORM OF OUR LIFE... Added to these, the Lord invites us to encounter him as the norm of our lives, special in times of trouble. The life and miracles of Christ are not merely wonders and showpieces. They are lessons to be learnt, ways to be adopted to live our life like him, with him and in him. In the second reading, St. Paul cries over the numerous signs that the Lord gave the Jews, which they utterly missed and totally squandered. Let us not miss the lessons that come through every experience that we live in our daily life.
The Lord's invitation resounds as it does to Elijah, "Go out, stand and watch! the Lord shall be passing by! Don't let the Lord pass by." St. Augustine makes that inspiring statement in this regard: I fear the Lord, passing by. Let us behold the Lord always, because our God is a God for all seasons!