S. FAUSTI – "Thou of little faith, why did you doubt?" Jesus asks Peter, called by him to walk on the waters, like Him and with Him. This tale shows the journey from disturbance to the courage of the faith, however harassed by the doubt and by the fall that in the experience of salvation comes to its fullness. The doubt, halfway between incredulity and faith, is the needed passage for everyone. For a conscious and adult faith, it is necessary that the unbeliever must doubt of his unbelieving and that the believer doubts of his believing . A blind dogmatism precludes the access to the truth. However, when it goes down, anyone who opens itself up to the invocation of salvation, beyond what it believes or does not believe. Peter represents each of us and the whole Church. When we turn our eyes to the Lord and to His vocation , we have confidence and are able to go on when we look our difficulties, we are afraid and we sink. After the gift of bread, Jesus climbs alone on the mountain to pray. The disciples descend, by themselves, to the sea to row. After the night of the bread a new day comes- the one of the alone disciples on the boat - where Jesus is present in another way, with His Word that orders to make his own way, facing the same night that He has won. We are in the night with the opposite wind, suspended on the rough abyss that wants to swallow us, unnecessarily straining to reach the other side It is Church's condition, called to face His own path after His Ascension on Mount. Wrapped in darkness, suspended between sky and abyss, the disciples are far from the starting point and from the arrival point. The situation is anguishing . Not to be swallowed up by the abyss is the impossible dream of every man, overcoming the reality that he knows well, done of night, loneliness, distance, fatigue, torment, anguish, terror and sinking. Walking on the sea is the theme of the piece. It is what disciple is called to do, on the Word of His Lord. They who are played by fear mistake their fantasies for reality and reality for fantasy. The disciples think that the Living One between them is a ghost, a dead man. It is the reproach of Paul to those of Corinth when he says that their Eucharist is not a eating the Supper of the Lord , but an eating their condemnation, because they make the opposite of what they celebrate. (1 Cor 11: 17-34). Fear is scarsity of faith. Faith is instead the courage of believing and daring the impossible, impossible to man, but not to God. He who walks on the waters is not a ghost but "I am", Jesus in person. "I-am" refers to the revelation of the God of the Exodus. Salvation through water is not an illusion. It is the fear that makes them perceive the reality of God an illusion. "Come !" It's the definitive vocation. On His Word, we are called by Him to walk as Him and with Him on the abyss. In obedience to Him, Peter manages to do as He did. The opposite spirit frightens Peter. If he looks Jesus , he walks, if he looks his fears, he sinks. The "tense arm" indicates the intervention of God, which grabs and saves from the great waters him who invokes Him. There is faith, but little, insufficient after hard tests like this. But there is always the cry in his heart: "Lord, save me!" It is the inalienable root of faith. The resulting experience of salvation leads to peace and to Lord's acknowledgment. The journey of trust and recognition lasts forever. Salvation leads to worship to the kiss of the Lord, aim of the Gospel.
After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”
At the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter. Then the LORD said to him, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.” A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD— but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake— but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire— but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. Responsorial Psalm PS 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14
R/ (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD — for he proclaims peace. Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. R/ Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. R/ Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. Justice shall walk before him, and prepare the way of his steps. R/ Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
S. FAUSTI – "Thou of little faith, why did you doubt?" Jesus asks Peter, called by him to walk on the waters, like Him and with Him.
RispondiEliminaThis tale shows the journey from disturbance to the courage of the faith, however harassed by the doubt and by the fall that in the experience of salvation comes to its fullness.
The doubt, halfway between incredulity and faith, is the needed passage for everyone.
For a conscious and adult faith, it is necessary that the unbeliever must doubt of his unbelieving and that the believer doubts of his believing . A blind dogmatism precludes the access to the truth.
However, when it goes down, anyone who opens itself up to the invocation of salvation, beyond what it believes or does not believe.
Peter represents each of us and the whole Church. When we turn our eyes to the Lord and to His vocation , we have confidence and are able to go on when we look our difficulties, we are afraid and we sink.
After the gift of bread, Jesus climbs alone on the mountain to pray.
The disciples descend, by themselves, to the sea to row.
After the night of the bread a new day comes- the one of the alone disciples on the boat - where Jesus is present in another way, with His Word
that orders to make his own way, facing the same night that He has won.
We are in the night with the opposite wind, suspended on the rough abyss that wants to swallow us, unnecessarily straining to reach the other side
It is Church's condition, called to face His own path after His Ascension on Mount.
Wrapped in darkness, suspended between sky and abyss, the disciples are far from the starting point and from the arrival point. The situation is anguishing .
Not to be swallowed up by the abyss is the impossible dream of every man, overcoming the reality that he knows well, done of night, loneliness, distance, fatigue, torment, anguish, terror and sinking.
Walking on the sea is the theme of the piece.
It is what disciple is called to do, on the Word of His Lord.
They who are played by fear mistake their fantasies for reality and reality for fantasy.
The disciples think that the Living One between them is a ghost, a dead man. It is the reproach of Paul to those of Corinth when he says that their Eucharist is not a eating the Supper of the Lord , but an eating their condemnation, because they make the opposite of what they celebrate. (1 Cor 11: 17-34).
Fear is scarsity of faith.
Faith is instead the courage of believing and daring the impossible, impossible to man, but not to God.
He who walks on the waters is not a ghost but "I am", Jesus in person.
"I-am" refers to the revelation of the God of the Exodus. Salvation through water is not an illusion. It is the fear that makes them perceive the reality of God an illusion.
"Come !" It's the definitive vocation. On His Word, we are called by Him to walk as Him and with Him on the abyss. In obedience to Him, Peter manages to do as He did.
The opposite spirit frightens Peter. If he looks Jesus , he walks, if he looks his fears, he sinks.
The "tense arm" indicates the intervention of God, which grabs and saves from the great waters him who invokes Him.
There is faith, but little, insufficient after hard tests like this.
But there is always the cry in his heart: "Lord, save me!"
It is the inalienable root of faith.
The resulting experience of salvation leads to peace and to Lord's acknowledgment.
The journey of trust and recognition lasts forever.
Salvation leads to worship to the kiss of the Lord, aim of the Gospel.
Gospel MT 14:22-33
RispondiEliminaAfter he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”
Reading 1 1 KGS 19:9A, 11-13A
RispondiEliminaAt the mountain of God, Horeb,
Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter.
Then the LORD said to him,
“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;
the LORD will be passing by.”
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains
and crushing rocks before the LORD—
but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake—
but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was fire—
but the LORD was not in the fire.
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.
Responsorial Psalm PS 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14
R/ (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD — for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R/ Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R/ Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R/ Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.