Tuesday, July 2, 2002
13th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Am 3:1-8; 4:11-12
Gospel:
Mt 8:23-27
Jesus got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning
a fierce storm hit the lake, with waves sweeping the boat. But Jesus was
asleep.
They woke him and cried, "Lord save us! We are lost!" But Jesus
answered, "Why are you so afraid, you of little faith?" Then
he stood up and ordered the wind and sea; and it became completely calm.
The people were astonished. They said, "What kind of man is he? Even
the winds and the sea obey him."
Commentary
"The Perfect Storm," the movie about the lost fishing boat Andrea Gail, showed us the courage of brave men; the "storm in the lake of Nazareth" of the gospel put the faith of the disciples to test. We could name it "The Perfect Storm" if it makes us move from fear to faith. "Why are you so afraid, you of little faith?" (Mt 8:26) Jesus tells his disciples. Fear and faith bring us by different paths. Fear forces us to turn to ourselves and paralyzes us, or urges us to escape. Faith, however, enables us to take risks, to face the challenges of life. Fear always finds reasons not to move. Faith keeps us alive and impels us into action. The Lord is with us, in the same boat (name it); why are we so afraid?