First reading Amos 3:1-8,4:11-12
It is for all your sins that I mean to punish you
Listen, sons of Israel, to this oracle the Lord speaks against you, against the whole family I brought out of the land of Egypt:
You alone, of all the families of earth, have I acknowledged,
therefore it is for all your sins that I mean to punish you.
Do two men take the road together
if they have not planned to do so?
Does the lion roar in the jungle
if no prey has been found?
Does the young lion growl in his lair
if he has captured nothing?
Does the bird fall to the ground
if no trap has been set?
Does the snare spring up from the ground
if nothing has been caught?
Does the trumpet sound in the city
without the populace becoming alarmed?
Does misfortune come to a city
if the Lord has not sent it?
No more does the Lord do anything
without revealing his plans to his servants the prophets.
The lion roars: who can help feeling afraid?
The Lord speaks: who can refuse to prophesy?
I overthrew you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
and you were like a brand snatched from the blaze;
and yet you never came back to me.
It is the Lord who speaks.
This therefore, Israel, is what I plan to do to you,
and because I am going to do this to you,
Israel, prepare to meet your God!
Responsorial Psalm 5:5-8
Lead me, O Lord, in your justice.
You are no God who loves evil;
no sinner is your guest.
The boastful shall not stand their ground
before your face.
Lead me, O Lord, in your justice.
You hate all who do evil;
you destroy all who lie.
The deceitful and bloodthirsty man
the Lord detests.
Lead me, O Lord, in your justice.
But I through the greatness of your love
have access to your house.
I bow down before your holy temple,
filled with awe.
Lead me, O Lord, in your justice.
Gospel Matthew 8:23-27
Jesus rebuked the winds and the seas, and all was calm
Jesus got into the boat followed by his disciples. Without warning a storm broke over the lake, so violent that the waves were breaking right over the boat. But he was asleep. So they went to him and woke him saying, ‘Save us, Lord, we are going down!’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?’ And with that he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and all was calm again. The men were astounded and said, ‘Whatever kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.’
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Peace, be still
What is the storm that you are experiencing right now? Is it sickness, the loss of a loved one, the pain of loneliness, etc.? We all have experienced difficulties that overwhelmed us and made us feel confused, afraid and lost. In today’s gospel, the disciples were frightened as they faced the big waves and the strong wind. They cried to Jesus, “Save us, Lord, we are lost!” Like the disciples, in our moments of helplessness, we need to turn to Jesus and cry out with trust, “Save me, help me…”.
Jesus is always in our boats, in our lives, and His presence makes all the difference. He asks us, “Why are you so frightened, you who have so little faith?”. We need eyes of faith to perceive that He is there with us. He gives us the peace we need, even as the storms around us rage on. Jesus does not take away our problems but stays with us and helps us go through them with peace in our hearts.
Reflective question:
Have I experienced Jesus’ calming presence in my life in the storms of my life?
Have I experienced Jesus’ calming presence in my life in the storms of my life?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
