First reading Genesis 19:15-29
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
The angels urged Lot, ‘Come, take your wife and these two daughters of yours, or you will be overwhelmed in the punishment of the town.’ And as he hesitated, the men took him by the hand, and his wife and his two daughters, because of the pity the Lord felt for him. They led him out and left him outside the town.
As they were leading him out he said, ‘Run for your life. Neither look behind you nor stop anywhere on the plain. Make for the hills if you would not be overwhelmed.’ ‘No, I beg you, my lord,’ Lot said to them ‘your servant has won your favour and you have shown great kindness to me in saving my life. But I could not reach the hills before this calamity overtook me, and death with it. The town over there is near enough to flee to, and is a little one. Let me make for that – is it not little? – and my life will be saved.’ He answered, ‘I grant you this favour too, and will not destroy the town you speak of. Hurry, escape to it, for I can do nothing until you reach it.’ That is why the town is named Zoar.
As the sun rose over the land and Lot entered Zoar, the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord. He overthrew these towns and the whole plain, with all the inhabitants of the towns, and everything that grew there. But the wife of Lot looked back, and was turned into a pillar of salt.
Rising early in the morning Abraham went to the place where he had stood before the Lord, and looking towards Sodom and Gomorrah, and across all the plain, he saw the smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.
Thus it was that when God destroyed the towns of the plain, he kept Abraham in mind and rescued Lot out of disaster when he overwhelmed the towns where Lot lived.
Responsorial Psalm 25(26):2-3,9-12
Your love, O Lord, is before my eyes.
Examine me, Lord, and try me;
O test my heart and my mind,
for your love is before my eyes
and I walk according to your truth.
Your love, O Lord, is before my eyes.
Do not sweep me away with sinners,
nor my life with bloodthirsty men
in whose hands are evil plots,
whose right hands are filled with gold.
Your love, O Lord, is before my eyes.
As for me, I walk the path of perfection.
Redeem me and show me your mercy.
My foot stands on level ground:
I will bless the Lord in the assembly.
Your love, O Lord, is before my eyes.
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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Jesus and the storm
In today’s Gospel, Jesus and His disciples were on a small boat when they encountered a fierce storm. As the storm raged, Jesus was asleep, while His disciples panicked and they cried to Him, “Save us, Lord, we are lost!”. From our own life experience, we can relate with the disciples’ sense of desperation in moments when we face personal storms that seem uncontrollable, such as an unexpected illness, the sudden loss of someone dear, or a sense of being misunderstood, etc. In these moments, we can feel powerless and hopeless.
We are invited to turn to Jesus in prayer, saying, “Save me, Lord. I am lost and scared. Help me, guide me, comfort me!” This prayer of trust opens our hearts, reminding us that we are not alone and that we can draw strength from Him. With Jesus’ unwavering presence in our boats and in our lives, we can weather the storms with peace.
Reflective question:
Can I remember a time in my life when I experienced Jesus’ presence pulling me through a difficult time?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
