August 13 - Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time : Fixing our eyes on Jesus

 

First Reading  1 Kings 19:9a,11-13a

The Lord appears to Elijah in a whisper.

 

Responsorial Psalm  Psalm 85:9-14

The Lord is the source of salvation.

 

Second Reading  Romans 9:1-5

Paul speaks of the blessings that have come to the Israelites.

 

Gospel Reading Matthew 14:22-33

 

We can enter into today’s Gospel from two directions: From the side of Jesus and from the side of Peter. From the side of Jesus- When the disciples were struggling in a stormy weather Jesus comes to their help. There are times when life becomes a desperate struggle. At such a time Jesus comes to us across the storms of life, with hand stretched out to save, and with his clam clear voice bidding us take heart ad have no fear. The great truth is that, wherever Jesus Christ is, the wildest storm becomes a calm. From the side of Peter- We see Peter making a mistake and that is taking his eyes off Jesus and looking down at the stormy sea. This is what often happens to you and me. We start off our lives fine. We have our eyes fixed firmly on Jesus. But then something happens to make us take our eyes off Jesus. We look away from Jesus. And that’s when we lose our balance. That’s when we begin to sink. Therefore today’s Gospel invites us to turn our eyes back to Jesus.