Today’s readings give us many points to reflect on.
First and foremost, do we allow sibling rivalry to get the better of us? Whether it’s among fellow sisters and brothers in Christ or literally between Family members? Do we think of ourselves holier or better than them? Or question why did the Lord, our God, call them to be leaders over us? Even if they have done wrong in our eyes, are we too question their leadership? Instead of turning to the Lord, our God, who can make crooked lies straight.
That is why we should never speak ill of our priests, His anointed ones. There are proper processes and procedures to escalate to the authorities of the church for further review. We should not take it upon ourselves to correct or to speak ill of them.
Once again, in today’s Gospel, we see that the deeper our faith and love for our Lord, the more we are able to follow in His footsteps. Especially when working miracles, signs, and wonders! St. Peter was given a chance to walk on water through the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ. If we are obedient and faith-filled, will the Lord not allow us to walk on water as well? Or perhaps to perform healing and miracles for His flock that he sends our way for His Glory?
Let’s not be distracted by the ways of the world. But turn to him who opens the heavens for us, so that we can bring heaven down to earth for His children, our brethren.
Amen.
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First reading
Numbers 12:1-13
‘How have you dared to speak against my servant Moses?’
Miriam, and Aaron too, spoke against Moses in connexion with the Cushite woman he had taken. (For he had married a Cushite woman.) They said, ‘Has the Lord spoken to Moses only? Has he not spoken to us too?’
The Lord heard this. Now Moses was the most humble of men, the humblest man on earth. Suddenly, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron and Miriam, ‘Come, all three of you, to the Tent of Meeting.’ They went, all three of them, and the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tent. He called Aaron and Miriam and they both came forward. The Lord said, ‘Listen now to my words: If any man among you is a prophet I make myself known to him in a vision, I speak to him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses: he is at home in my house; I speak with him face to face, plainly and not in riddles, and he sees the form of the Lord. How then have you dared to speak against my servant Moses?’
The anger of the Lord blazed out against them. He departed, and as soon as the cloud withdrew from the Tent, there was Miriam a leper, white as snow! Aaron turned to look at her; she had become a leper.
Aaron said to Moses: ‘Help me, my lord! Do not punish us for a sin committed in folly of which we are guilty. I entreat you, do not let her be like a monster, coming from its mother’s womb with flesh half corrupted.’
Moses cried to the Lord, ‘O God,’ he said, ‘please heal her, I beg you!’
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Gospel
Matthew 14:22-36
Jesus walks on the water
Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he would send the crowds away. After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea, for there was a head-wind. In the fourth watch of the night he went towards them, walking on the lake, and when the disciples saw him walking on the lake they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear. But at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ It was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus. Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’ And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’
Having made the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret. When the local people recognised him they spread the news through the whole neighbourhood and took all that were sick to him, begging him just to let them touch the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched it were completely cured.
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