19th A

19th Sunday of Ordinary Time A

Like Peter, up and down toward Jesus.



INTRODUCTION: Today we hear two contrasting images of God coming to

people. In the first reading we hear of God coming to Elijah not in the

wind, earthquake or fire. God comes in the tiny whispering sound. In

the Gospel we hear the account of Jesus coming to the Apostles walking

on the water. In this passage we encounter the first of three special

additions of Matthew's Gospel concerning the Apostle Peter. 1) Peter

comes to Jesus on the water. (14:28-31) 2) We will hear the second

special section in two weeks. Peter is called the "rock" and given the

power of the keys (16:13-20). 3) Peter is consulted by Jesus about the

paying of the temple tax and is then instructed to take the shekel and

"give it to them for me and for you" (17:24-27).



HOMILY: The divine power of Jesus is stressed in his walking upon the

water. The book of Job describes God (Job 9:8) "He alone stretches out

the heavens and treads upon the crests of the sea." There are many

references to God being the one who opened the way through the waters to

the freedom in the Exodus.

Jesus words to the frightened disciples echo the words naming God in

the book of Exodus. "Get hold of yourselves. It is I. Do not be

afraid."

To the story as told by Mark, Matthew adds the story of Peter.

Peter the consistent spokesman for the disciples in this Gospel, asks to

duplicate Jesus' own dominance over the chaos of the sea. He is able to

do what Jesus does. But as Matthew will do throughout the Gospel, he

likes to pair the disciples' glory with their flaws. Peter frightened

by the power of nature begins to doubt the power of Jesus and begins to

sink. His response is the best instinctive response of the believer:

"Lord save me." "Jesus at once stretched out his hand and caught him."

There is a promise implicit in this reaching out of Jesus. Jesus is the

one ready to grant the prayer of the community who recognizes him as

Lord. Only after taking Peter by the hand does Jesus rebuke him with the

words, "How little faith you have. Why did you falter?" With these

words we have Matthew's description of the disciples. "Men of little

faith." He uses this expression five times of the disciples. For

Matthew the disciple in this life is always caught between faith and

doubt. The disciples attitude is yes...but...

At the end of the story according to Mark's version the disciples

are completely lacking in understanding or faith. Mark adds, "but their

hearts were hardened." But for Matthew, that boat crew images his own

church: buffeted, frightened, but clinging to belief, "men of little

faith". The Matthean disciples (those in the boat: church) bow down in

adoration and profess Jesus' divine sonship. This profession of faith

anticipates Peter's profession at Caesarea Philippi which we will hear

in two weeks.



Lessons: l) Jesus comes to us at unexpected times and in unexpected

ways. 2) Jesus is the one who has the power over the chaos and

evil that the storm represents in the disciples lives and ours.

3) Jesus invites us to come to him. We are like Peter.

4) Jesus is available and wants to give us a helping hand.

5) Like Peter we must cry out to the Lord, Lord Save me.

6) We like Peter are people of some faith that are

challenged to grow from being of "little faith."_

7) Sometimes in reaction to the miraculous presence of

Jesus we are like the disciples in Mark, lacking understanding and

faith. 8) Hopefully we will grow like the disciples in Matthew to

adore and worship Jesus as the Son of God.