Trust, Fidelity and Praise
(Jer 30:1-22; Ps 102; Mt 14:22-36)
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Three words – trust, fidelity and praise – capture the essence of today’s liturgy.
In the first reading, God comes across as a rejected lover who uses Semitic hyperbole to communicate the depth of his hurt and disappointment in God’s beloved, unfaithful Israel. God portrays them as hopeless and almost beyond redemption.
Then, halfway through the reading, the tone changes completely. God takes on a stance that is totally opposite, and totally true to God’s nature as a faithful God true to God’s covenant and promises. God will have compassion on Israel, shower unconditional love upon it, and restore it to its former glory, even honoring her.
Slipped into one of those stanzas is the promise of a prince who will be one of them, a ruler who shall come from their own midst. This ruler alone will be able to approach God, to be drawn near to God.
Psalm 102 continues that same thrust of unconditional love, proclaiming the Lord will build up Zion again. God will look down upon destitute and imprisoned Israel and transform them into God’s own people once again who will gather together to worship the Lord.
In the Gospel, we see that prince and ruler in action, in the person of Jesus. First, Jesus shows himself more powerful than the dreaded sea, by walking upon the waters in a storm. Then he reaches out to Peter, the symbol of impoverished Israel, short on faith and drowning in the water of its own efforts to save itself.
The gospel ends with Jesus landing in a pagan land, being recognized by them, and being so approachable that all the sick who even touch the fringe of his cloak are healed. What could be more encouraging than this scene?
There is also here the prayer of the Anawim – the poor people – those who know they need God, such as all the sick approaching Jesus, and especially, Peter crying out in his powerlessness to save himself. That is the prayer we all need to pray every morning, as we are all sinners, as Pope Francis likes to remind us, and all in need of God’s mercy.
The Eucharist is our prime example of our prince and ruler reaching out to us, making God’s self totally available to us, forgiving and healing us.
Let us strive to be the true and faithful people of God who as in the psalm, gather to praise and worship our God.
Well yes, God is the one who will answer our prayers and intentions and forgive us for our sins. He also heals us from our physical pain and emotional pain from sufferings. If we choose to follow and trust him for his teachings; his ways to accompany us then we will be healed and saved from our problems. We need to learn and know who Jesus Christ really is and his father who created this earth and he is the one who chose Jesus as his son to carry out his teachings. Jesus showed us how he is the chosen one and Messiah send by God which is stated in the readings today. We always praise and worship God through prayers, liturgy and celebrating the Eucharist during mass. Once we receive the Eucharist during mass Jesus is with us and available to us . This is the one true God, who is the son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Thanks Bishop Sylvain Lavoie for the well stated homilies about praise and worshipping the one true God. You also mentioned it in other homilies and I agree with it. We are to help people who are in need, people crying for help and heal the sick. We are to forgive people who have hurt us many times and this comes from our hearts. Amen. Merci. Gracias ! Take care of yourself Your Grace.