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.
You hate all who do evil;
you destroy all who lie.
The deceitful and bloodthirsty man
the Lord detests.
But I through the greatness of your love
have access to your house.
I bow down before your holy temple,
filled with awe.
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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Do not be afraid
In today’s Gospel, Jesus and His disciples get into a boat and set off across the lake. During their journey, they are suddenly faced with a violent storm. The disciples are filled with fear, worried that their boat will capsize. This scene offers us comfort. It shows that having Jesus in our “boat” does not guarantee a life free from storms. Even with Him by our side, we still encounter pain, brokenness, and disappointment. What truly matters is not the absence of storms, but His presence in the midst of them.
Jesus sleeping in the boat is not a sign that He does not care, but it is a sign of His deep trust in the Father. He knows that His life and mission are in God’s hands. Because He trusts completely, He is not controlled by fear. His sleep shows a heart that is at peace, even in the midst of the storm. Today, Jesus calls us to trust in Him by honestly bringing our worries to Him and believing that, even when He seems silent, He is with us and will never let us down.
Reflective question:
What is preventing me from trusting Jesus more?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
