First Reading: Am 3:1-8; 4:11-12
Hear this word, O children of Israel, that the LORD pronounces over you,
over the whole family that I brought up from the land of Egypt:
You alone have I favored,
more than all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will punish you
for all your crimes.
Do two walk together
unless they have agreed?
Does a lion roar in the forest
when it has no prey?
Does a young lion cry out from its den
unless it has seized something?
Is a bird brought to earth by a snare
when there is no lure for it?
Does a snare spring up from the ground
without catching anything?
If the trumpet sounds in a city,
will the people not be frightened?
If evil befalls a city,
has not the LORD caused it?
Indeed, the Lord GOD does nothing
without revealing his plan
to his servants, the prophets.
The lion roars--
who will not be afraid!
The Lord GOD speaks--
who will not prophesy!
I brought upon you such upheaval
as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah:
you were like a brand plucked from the fire;
Yet you returned not to me,
says the LORD.
So now I will deal with you in my own way, O Israel!
and since I will deal thus with you,
prepare to meet your God, O Israel.
Responsorial Psalm: 5:4b-6a, 6b-7, 8
R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.
At dawn I bring my plea expectantly before you.
For you, O God, delight not in wickedness;
no evil man remains with you;
the arrogant may not stand in your sight.
R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.
You hate all evildoers;
you destroy all who speak falsehood;
The bloodthirsty and the deceitful
the LORD abhors.
R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.
But I, because of your abundant mercy,
will enter your house;
I will worship at your holy temple
in fear of you, O LORD.
R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.
Gospel: Mt 8:23-27
As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by waves;
but he was asleep.
They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.
The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”
Why are you afraid?
As we contemplate the miraculous calming of the storm, it’s important to note that Matthew, the evangelist, provides us with a theological narrative, aimed at addressing the fundamental question that people have been raising since the start of Jesus’ public ministry: «Who is this person?”
The disciples go with the Master on the boat to «the other side,» symbolising the Christian community’s journey. The boat, representing the Church, encounters a storm at sea, preventing it from progressing. Amid the perilous crossing, Jesus remains asleep while the disciples battle the raging waves..
The scene brings to mind Jonah, the prophet who was instructed to deliver the message of the Lord to the non-believers in Nineveh. While fleeing from Yahweh, he was found sleeping at the bottom of the ship (Jon 1:5). In our passage today, Jesus is also sleeping, and when the apostles wake him up, they cry, «Lord, save us! We are perishing!»
In the Bible, the term sleep is often used to refer to death. Jesus also used it figuratively, saying, «Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep» (John 11:11) and «The child is not dead but asleep» (Mark 5:39-40). Matthew likely portrayed the journey on the boat as a symbolic representation of the life of the Church after Jesus’ death. The disciples feel abandoned amidst the storms and turmoil of the world. They know that Jesus is present with them, but it seems as though he is asleep. Frightened by the dangers of the stormy world, the disciples cry out to the Risen Lord, «Lord, Save us!»
The Lord’s presence is always with them and with us, as he asks us, ‘Why are you so afraid?’ This gentle reminder of his eternal presence brings comfort and reassurance, even in the most turbulent of times.
Biblie Claret
