3-Aug-2014 Dear Friend,
Everyone of us has preconceived notions of God. Yes, we do believe in God, but which God do we believe in? Sometimes there is the danger that we create our God in our own image and likeness. We do want God to come into our lives but on our own terms and conditions. We want to encounter Him but want to set up the place and manner of the encounter. If we let God have his way in our lives, we will encounter Him in the most surprising of places. Have a worshipping God-filled weekend! Fr. Jude Sunday Ref: Nineteenth Sunday - "Why did you doubt? It is I! Do not be afraid" 10-Aug-2014 Readings: Kings 19: 9, 11-13; Rom.9: 1-5; Mt. 14: 22-33; Today's first reading speaks of Elijah's encounter with God. Elijah had destroyed all the false prophets and Queen Jezebel was now plotting to murder him. In fear Elijah fled and hid in a cave. There he apparently expected further extraordinary revelations of God in the strong and heavy wind, then in an earthquake and then in fire, but the Lord was not in any of these powerful phenomena. Elijah did meet God in the gentle wind that blew across the cave. God did not come in the way Elijah expected him, he did not come in an unusual way, but as a God of small things! God always comes and passes by in the daily events of life, but we fail to discern his presence and acknowledge Him. A faith journey He was fifteen years at the time. He and his father were driving past a tiny airport in a small town in Ohio. Suddenly a low-flying plane spun out of control and nose-dived into the runway. The boy yelled, "Dad! Stop the Car!" Minutes later the boy was pulling the pilot out of the plane. It was a twenty-four year old student flyer, who had been practicing take-offs and landings. The young man died in the boy's arms. It was a traumatic thing, for the boy knew the man who had died. When he got home he cried, "Mom, he was my friend! He was only twenty!" He went to his room, closed the door, and in the silence and darkness lay on his bed wondering where God was. The boy had been working part-time in a drug-store, saving every penny and spending his savings on flying lessons. His goal was to get his pilot's licence when he turned sixteen. The boy's parents wondered what effect the tragedy would have on their son. Would he stop taking lessons, or would he continue. They agreed that the decision would have to be his. Going to his room his mother saw an open notebook that her son kept from childhood. Just scanning the page, the mother noticed that in her son's hour of decision he was turning to Jesus for guidance. She was happy for that and asked her son what he had decided. The boy looked at his mother and said, "Mom, I hope you and Dad will understand but with God's help, I must continue to fly!" The boy was like Elijah. He had to shut down the noise, the wind, the earthquake, the fire and turn to the quiet solitude of his room where he heard the still whispering of Jesus. Like Elijah who was tempted to give up prophesying, the lad was tempted to give up his dream. But like Elijah, he didn't. And so on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human being to walk on the moon. Few people who watched that historical event on television knew that one of the reasons that he was walking on the moon was Jesus. They did not know that it was from Jesus that he drew strength and guidance to make a crucial teenage decision which was now responsible for this historic feat. The spiritual journey is always perilous. Only with Jesus can we make that journey successfully. William Bausch in 'The Word -In and Out of Season' In today's Gospel we are reminded that it was Jesus who sent the disciples on their journey when they encountered the storm. Sometimes while we are busy doing what God wants us to do, doing our duty, doing the right thing, we will encounter disturbances that will threaten us and frighten us. Even when He does come the disciples do not recognise Him! But it does not matter, his reassuring words are "Be Not afraid! It is I!" It is said that in the Bible we have the words 'Be not afraid' three hundred and sixty five times! One for each day of the year! We are frightened people and God comes to remove fear from our lives. The more we believe the less we will fear. Fear and worry are an insult to God. In so many words we are saying: "I am not sure whether You are taking care of me and so I am worried about this and fearful of that!" The Gospel also tells us that Peter boldly asks Jesus to let him come across the water and on Jesus' encouragement Peter walks over the waters! We too can do wonderful and extraordinary things with the power of God. But Peter who was bold at one moment is afraid as he looks at the waves and starts sinking till the Lord reaches out and gives him a helping hand. Jesus comes especially when we are faced with the storms of life! "Be not afraid!" Look Up! In the early days of sailing, a boy went to sea to be a sailor. One day when the sea was stormy, he was told to climb the top of the mast. The first half of the climb was easy. The boy kept his eyes fixed on the sky. But halfway to the top, he made a mistake. He looked down at the stormy waters. He grew dizzy and was in danger of falling. An old sailor called out to him: "Look back at the sky boy! Look back at the sky!" The boy followed the old man's instructions and finished the climb successfully. The boy's mistake was the same one Peter made in today's gospel. He took his eyes off his goal and looked down at the stormy sea, just as Peter took his eyes off Jesus and looked down at the stormy sea. Mark Link in 'Sunday Homilies' Walking on Water A Man Called Peter was a best-selling biography that was later made into a movie. It narrates the life of Peter Marshall, a Scotsman from Glasgow whose desire was to be a seaman but whose destiny took him to the U.S. Senate as chaplain. As a lad, Peter enlisted in the British Navy, but his career lasted only two days when it was discovered that he was only 14 years old. Later, when working as a machinist and teaching Sunday School, Peter felt the call to be a minister. Persuaded by a cousin to come across to America, Peter set out in faith to cross the cold waters of the North Atlantic. With little money, no friends and only a job reference, Peter likened himself to other men of faith who ventured into the unknown, men like the patriarch Abraham, the explorer Columbus, and the pioneer Brigham Young. The Lord continued to guide Peter Marshall in surprising ways through the Presbyterian ministry, in marriage to Catherine, his parish assignments and finally to his fame as chaplain to the U.S. Senate. Peter Marshall died in 1949 when he was only 46, but in that short lifetime he inspired thousands of people by his preaching, his friendliness, and above all by his life of prayer. Another man called Peter, who ventured over water, is the subject of today's gospel. God is calling many of us to walk on the water, to move into the unknown. What kind of faith do we have? Will we sink with Peter or set sail with Peter Marshall? Albert Cylwicki in 'His Word resounds' What do you want from me? A man named Smith was sitting on his roof during a flood, and the water was up to his feet. Before long a fellow in a canoe paddled past and shouted, "Can I give you a lift to higher ground?" "No thanks," said Smith. "I have faith in the Lord, and he will save me." Soon the water rose to Smith's waist. At this point a motorboat pulled up and someone called out, "Can I give you a lift to higher ground?" "No thanks. I have faith in the Lord and he will save me." Later a helicopter flew by, and Smith was now standing on the roof with water up to his neck. "Grab the rope," yelled the pilot. "I'll pull you up." "No thanks," said Smith. "I have faith in the Lord, and he will save me. But after hours of treading water, poor exhausted Smith drowned. As he arrived at the Pearly Gates, Smith met his Maker and complained about the turn of events. "Tell me Lord," he said, "I had such faith in you to save me and you let me down. What happened?" The Lord replied, "What do you want from me? I sent you two boats and one helicopter!" Harold Buetow in 'God Still Speaks: Listen!' The power of faith I was once reading of a group of little boys who, unknown to their parents, were playing dangerously with molten lead. Their plan was to make little surprise gifts for Christmas by pouring the molten lead into little moulds. All of a sudden, one little child dropped a cold piece of metal into the boiling container, thereby causing some of the molten lead to fly into another little boy's eye. What a catastrophe! For forty minutes, the mother of that little boy gently and patiently tried to extricate the foreign material and to soothe the eye. While she feverishly worked, the bystanders all prayed with faith in the name and power of Jesus - the Great Divine Physician and Healer - that there would be no damage to the little boy's eye, and that he would not suffer from traumatic shock of that unfortunate accident. Contrary to all expectations, the little boy fell into a restful sleep, and when he awoke - would you believe it - he came down and joined the others, who were still praying fervently. To their relief, there was no injury visible except for the corner of the eye being slightly blood-shot. Later examination confirmed there was no internal damage whatsoever. An astounding miracle, you may say. But this is precisely how God, our Heavenly Father answers the prayers of those who take to heart the reassuring promise of the Lord Jesus: "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it." James Valladares in 'Your Words, O Lord, Are Spirit, and They Are Life' God lifted me John R. Anthony was selling law books to lawyers. He knew his job but he never made much sales and got easily discouraged. He doubled his efforts but they never paid off. Sense of fear and dread engulfed him and he even began to fear meeting people. His sales manager threatened to stop his advances if he didn't send in more orders. His wife complained that he could not pay the grocery bills. One night he came back to his hotel room completely broken and depressed, he did not want to live. Since he had no one to turn towards, he turned to God. He prayed that God might give him light and guidance. After praying he opened his eyes and saw the Bible on the dresser in the hotel room. He opened the book and read the words of Jesus: "Take no thought for your life, what you are to eat, or what you are to drink, or what you are to wear. Is not life more important than food and clothes? Look at the birds of the air, for they sow not nor do they reap, nor do they gather into barns, yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?" After he read and prayed over those words of Jesus, a miracle happened. His tension vanished, he was filled with courage and he went to bed and slept soundly. The next day he got up, dressed well and headed for his clients with a positive attitude. He made more sales than he had ever made in weeks. From then on he never turned back. Twenty years later he confessed this truth. "That night I had suddenly become aware of my relationship with God. A mere man alone can easily be defeated, but a man alive with the power of God within him is invincible. I know. I saw it work in my life." Anthony from a sinking state reached out to Christ and Christ lifted him. Dale Carnegie in 'How to stop worrying and start living' May we find God reaching out to us in every storm of life! Fr. Jude Botelho botelhoj...@gmail.com PS. The stories, incidents and anecdotes used in the reflections have been collected over the years from books as well as from sources over the net and from e-mails received. Every effort is made to acknowledge authors whenever possible. If you send in stories or illustrations I would be grateful if you could quote the source as well so that they can be acknowledged if used in these reflections. These reflections are also available on my Web site www.NetForLife.net Thank you.
