Homily for August 6, 2018
_“The boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night, he came to them, walking on the sea. *(Matthew 14:24-25)*_
In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus showed us the depth of his compassion by calming the situation of disciples who were just about to drown at sea. Jesus was alone praying on the mountain and from there, he could see that the disciples were in danger. He could have left them on their own but out of compassion, he came to them walking on water saying: “Take heart, it is I; have no fear.”
In moments of fear and anxiety; moments our boat becomes tossed on every side by the waves of life’s tough challenges, let us keep reminding ourselves of these words of Jesus: “Take heart, it is I, have no fear.”
Always picture Jesus walking on water towards you. In that very situation that makes you weak or depressed, about to give up or throw in the towel, see Jesus on top of it and listen to his words: “Take heart, it is I, have no fear.”
Jesus could see that the reason behind their fear was the size of their faith. They believed in God no doubt but their faith was too small to keep them going. Most of us are like Peter, we have faith small enough to walk on water for a while but not big enough to prevent us from sinking. Jesus challenged Peter saying: “O man of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Upon reaching the land of Gennesaret, Jesus again showed compassion for the SICK who were brought to him by reaching out to heal them. Even those who touched the fringes of his garment received healing.
Another word for “love” is “compassion.” To be compassionate is to feel the pain of others as if they were yours. It is putting yourself in other people’s shoes and making concrete steps to alleviate their wounds. One way we resemble God is our ability to feel the pains of others and come to their aid.
To love a person is to transcend oneself; it is to go beyond the tiny world of “me-myself-and-I.” The opposite of compassion is selfishness; looking out only for yourself and assuming others exist simply to serve you. Whenever we are compassionate to others, we become instruments of God’s overflowing power.
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may I be a channel of your love and compassion to the world. Amen.
*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Tuesday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Jeremiah 30:1-22, Psalm 102:16-23, Matthew 14:22-36).*
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