Archive for August 8, 2020

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted: August 8, 2020 by CatholicJules in Sunday Reflections
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Sinking Fear: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings:

1 Kings 19:9, 11–13
Psalm 85:9–14
Romans 9:1–5
Matthew 14:22–33

How do we find God in the storms and struggles of our lives, in the trials we encounter in trying to do His will?

God commands Elijah in today’s First Reading to stand on the mountain and await His passing by. And in the Gospel, Jesus makes the disciples set out across the waters to meet Him.

In each case, the Lord makes himself present amid frightening tumult—heavy winds and high waves, fire and earthquakes.

Elijah hides his face. Perhaps he remembers Moses, who met God on the same mountain, also amid fire, thunder, and smoke (see Deuteronomy 4:10–15; Exodus 19:17–19). God told Moses no one could see His face and live, and He sheltered Moses in the hollow of a rock, as He shelters Elijah in a cave (see Exodus 33:18–23).

The disciples, likewise, are too terrified to look on the face of God. Today’s Gospel is a revelation of Jesus’ divine identity. Only God treads across the crest of the sea (see Job 9:8) and rules the raging waters (see Psalm 89:9–10). And the words of assurance that Jesus speaks—“It is I”—are those God used to identify himself to Moses (see Exodus 3:14; Isaiah 43:10).
Even Peter is too overcome by fear to imitate his Lord. His fears, Jesus tells him, are a sign of his lack of faith. And so it often is with us. Our fears make us doubt, make it hard to see His glory dwelling in our midst.

Yet, we should know, as we sing in today’s Psalm, that His salvation is near to those who hope in Him. By faith we should know, as Paul asserts in today’s Epistle, that we are heirs to the promises made to His children, Israel.

We must trust that He whispers to us in the trials of our lives—that He who has called us to walk along the way of His steps. He will save us whenever we begin to sink.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: August 8, 2020 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Every and anybody can claim they have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, but how many truly knows what it means to have faith in Him? A Faith that stems from a loving intimate relationship with Him built on a foundation of love and trust. So why then did our Lord say that that if your faith were the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it would move; nothing would be impossible for you.’?

Well as I reflected on this today my heart was moved to ask this simple question? What is the purpose of a seed? Is it not to grow outside of itself? Is it not to propagate, to enrich? How then can a seed grow if it hides itself in a drawer? Or any other place other than in the rich soil it is meant to flourish in? And does it not flourish only when it dies unto itself? Then I heard the Lord call me His precious seed! Only then I awoke to realise that come what may, whether it be trials or tribulations, I shall always trust in my faithful Lord, for even when I die and I hope to die with in Him; I shall rise to new life with Him. For He has promised that an upright man will live by his faithfulness.’

St Dominic pray for us. Amen

First reading

Habakkuk 1:12-2:4 ·If the vision comes slowly, wait: it will come without failAre not you, from ancient times the Lord,my God, my Holy One, who never dies? O Lord, you have made this people an instrument of justice, set it firm as a rock in order to punish.Your eyes are too pure to rest on wickedness, you cannot look on at tyranny. Why do you look on while men are treacherous, and stay silent while the evil man swallows a better man than he?You treat mankind like fishes in the sea, like creeping, masterless things.A people, these, who catch all on their hook,who draw them with their net, in their dragnet gather them, and so, triumphantly, rejoice.At this, they offer a sacrifice to their net,and burn incense to their dragnet, for providing them with luxury and lavish food.Are they then to empty their net unceasingly, slaughtering nations without pity?I will stand on my watchtower, and take up my post on my battlements, watching to see what he will say to me, what answer he will make to my complaints.Then the Lord answered and said, ‘Write the vision down, inscribe it on tablets to be easily read, since this vision is for its own time only: eager for its own fulfilment, it does not deceive; if it comes slowly, wait, for come it will, without fail.‘See how he flags, he whose soul is not at rights, but the upright man will live by his faithfulness.’

Gospel

Matthew 17:14-20If your faith were the size of a mustard seed, the mountain would moveA man came up to Jesus and went down on his knees before him. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘take pity on my son: he is a lunatic and in a wretched state; he is always falling into the fire or into the water. I took him to your disciples and they were unable to cure him.’ ‘Faithless and perverse generation!’ Jesus said in reply ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.’ And when Jesus rebuked it the devil came out of the boy who was cured from that moment. Then the disciples came privately to Jesus. ‘Why were we unable to cast it out?’ they asked. He answered, ‘Because you have little faith. I tell you solemnly, if your faith were the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it would move; nothing would be impossible for you.’GospelMatthew 17:14-20If your faith were the size of a mustard seed, the mountain would moveA man came up to Jesus and went down on his knees before him. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘take pity on my son: he is a lunatic and in a wretched state; he is always falling into the fire or into the water. I took him to your disciples and they were unable to cure him.’ ‘Faithless and perverse generation!’ Jesus said in reply ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.’ And when Jesus rebuked it the devil came out of the boy who was cured from that moment. Then the disciples came privately to Jesus. ‘Why were we unable to cast it out?’ they asked. He answered, ‘Because you have little faith. I tell you solemnly, if your faith were the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it would move; nothing would be impossible for you.’