Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – August 7, 2011

Sailing in the Storm

One of the most memorable narratives in the Gospels was Jesus walking on the water. The scene evoked multiple themes in Christian spirituality: fear and doubt in times of stress, an encounter with the divine in the midst of the stress, peace after the troubles pass. The flow of the narrative matches our life experiences. Bad times do end; God is with us even in the darkest moments.

STUDIES FOR THE FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION: August 6, 2011

MP3 PODCAST In this week’s audio podcast, we consider an analogy for life under stress. A boat ride in a storm. This image has been relevant for over two millenia, especially for Christians. In tough times, we doubt; God appears to give us courage; we thank God for better times. This is an experience we are meant to share.

FIRST READING In the reading from 1 Kings, Elijah escaped sure death and fled into the mountains. On a lonely peak, he encountered God in a way that surprised him. God was not in the fire, the wind, or the earthquake. But he was in the wisp of the breeze.

PSALM Psalm 85 is a audacious claim upon God. “He blessed us once,” the psalmist seemed to say, “ and he will bless us again.” Is this presumption or a solid faith? Certainly, we who depend upon God can pray that he will bless us again and again, despite our present condition.

SECOND READING St. Paul wrote the church in Rome a very personal note about his relationship with his fellow Jews. He desperately wanted them to believe as he did. They enjoyed the blessings of YHWH but wanted the fullness of faith for them.

GOSPEL The gospel of Matthew related the story of Jesus walking on the water. His followers traveled by boat at night and are caught up in a storm. Jesus appeared and encouraged them. When he entered the boat, the storm dissipated. If we follow the emotions of the scene, we can easily relate to the stress of troubles, the fear and awe from God’s presence, and the relief when the troubles have passed.

CHILDREN’S READINGS In the story for the first reading, the passages about Elijah are given a context. Elijah was fearless, but in the presence of God, he became humble. In the story from the gospel, Jamie and Sammy join Chuck for a pool party. While they played in the pool, the lights went out and they panicked for a moment. Then, Chuck’s mother arrives with a candle to light their way into the house. Like the boys in the pool, the followers of Jesus must have been afraid. But, when Jesus arrived, there was no reason to fear.

FAMILY ACTIVITY To survive tough times, have your family members develop an “Emergency Stress List.” Don’t forget to include prayer on the list.