It is for love of us that the Lord sends us prophets and people to remind us that we should turn away from sin and return to Him. He is waiting patiently to welcome us back with open arms. However, if we choose to ignore His call and adamantly stand against Him, then we will have to face the consequences.
For the Lord wants us to live life to the full in Him and to be disciples empowered to bring His love, peace, mercy, and healing into the world. We don’t realize just how much we can do so in His name.
In today’s gospel, the Lord asks, “Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?” This is because if the disciples were faithful and understood that they were empowered by Him, they too could calm the raging seas in His name.
Lord Jesus, I thank you for your faith and love in me. Here I am, Lord, I come to do your will. Amen.
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First reading
Amos 3:1-8,4:11-12
It is for all your sins that I mean to punish you
Listen, sons of Israel, to this oracle the Lord speaks against you, against the whole family I brought out of the land of Egypt:
You alone, of all the families of earth, have I acknowledged,
therefore it is for all your sins that I mean to punish you.
Do two men take the road together
if they have not planned to do so?
Does the lion roar in the jungle
if no prey has been found?
Does the young lion growl in his lair
if he has captured nothing?
Does the bird fall to the ground
if no trap has been set?
Does the snare spring up from the ground
if nothing has been caught?
Does the trumpet sound in the city
without the populace becoming alarmed?
Does misfortune come to a city
if the Lord has not sent it?
No more does the Lord do anything
without revealing his plans to his servants the prophets.
The lion roars: who can help feeling afraid?
The Lord speaks: who can refuse to prophesy?
I overthrew you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
and you were like a brand snatched from the blaze;
and yet you never came back to me.
It is the Lord who speaks.
This therefore, Israel, is what I plan to do to you,
and because I am going to do this to you,
Israel, prepare to meet your God!
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Gospel
Matthew 8:23-27
Jesus rebuked the winds and the seas, and all was calm
Jesus got into the boat followed by his disciples. Without warning a storm broke over the lake, so violent that the waves were breaking right over the boat. But he was asleep. So they went to him and woke him saying, ‘Save us, Lord, we are going down!’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?’ And with that he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and all was calm again. The men were astounded and said, ‘Whatever kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.’
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