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Created: 09 August 2020

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A

In the Gospel of this Sunday (Mt 14:22-33), Matthew tells us about a time when Jesus revealed to the disciples his power over nature.

“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.” (Mt 14:22-27)

Peter went over the side of the boat, as Jesus told him to, and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he was afraid and started to sink down. Jesus caught him by the hand. Then when they both got on the boat, the wind stopped.

Truly, Jesus is God. He has authority over everything. He silenced the waves. He performed many miracles to show his love for people - The miracle of bread multiplication that we heard in the Gospel of the 18 th Week of Ordinary Time (Matthew 14: 13-21) is an example. Jesus healed many people with different kinds of diseases. The deaf could hear, the blind could see, and the dead were raised to life.

Renewing our faith in Jesus Christ, Lord Almighty, each of us should pay attention to another point in today's Gospel passage. It is the prayer life of Jesus. After dismissing the crowds, “he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.” (Mt 14:23)

From the Gospel, we learn that Jesus always prayed to God the Father. He had a close and intimate relationship with God the Father. Jesus prayed before and after each event. He prayed before He chose the disciples. Last Sunday’s Gospel, Matthew 14:13-21, tells us that Jesus prayed before performing the miracle of multiplication to feed five thousand people.

How about us?

Faced with so many constantly changing demands of life, do each of us pay attention to our spiritual life? Or is our mind devoted to things of the world rather than a life with and in God? God always loves us, yet do we try to stay in the love of God?

May we never be separated from God!

Fr. Phi Nguyen