HOMILY FOR THE NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: “DO NOT BE AFRAID”
BY: Fr Benny Tuazon
HOMILY:
(Mt. 14:22-33)
In today’s Gospel Jesus was mistaken for a ghost by the disciples because He appeared walking on the sea. Jesus, knowing what they went through, told them not to be afraid because He is with them. He will not let anything bad happen to them. Peter, happy and excited to have seen the Lord, dared the Lord to command him to come to Him by walking on the water. Jesus obliged and Peter got out of the water and walked on water towards Jesus. However, the and the waves frightened him and lost focus on Jesus. He began to sink and desperately called to Jesus for help. Jesus stretched His hand to Peter and saved him from drowning. He admonished Peter for his lack of faith. The disciples can only watch and wonder at Jesus’ actions.
When the early Christians listen and reflect on this Gospel account, they see their life as a community of faith, the Church, shown in this sea drama. The Church, like the disciples in the boat, goes through a lot of challenges, failures, and successes. They will have enemies and critics who, like waves and winds, will try to toss and sink them. Some would be like Peter, who believe they had enough faith to face and deal with every assault on the Church but would falter after experiencing pains and threats to life.
The same is still true up to now. The Church is still under attack. The faith of her members are at times waning and weakening at the presence of dangers and persecutions. But there are those who are faithful through and through. They inspire us and witness to God’s word and love. In and through all the Church’s life and ministry, we have the Lord! Like how He appeared and what He said to the disciples at sea on a boat, we must have courage. It is the Lord! He is with us and would always guide us.
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