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Mass for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday, August 8th at 5:30 PM
CORONA VIRUS AND THAT SINKING SENSATION
As I read this Sunday’s Gospel about Peter sinking because of his lack of faith, I began to think how that “sinking sensation” is exactly what happens to us when we let the stress from the Corona Virus overwhelm us and we allow our faith in God to waiver during this Pandemic.
As we worry about school starting and fall coming, it is important to hear Jesus say to us: “take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” He can keep us calm. He can protect our children. If we allow Him, He will guide us through this storm as the winds and waves of the Pandemic toss the boat of our life.
Managing this Pandemic can be challenging for a family. We have been forced to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances, make difficult choices, and dealing with disruption at home, work and in our community. Our Faith in Jesus can help us better adapt. Our Faith can give us an increased sense of safety, keep us calm, give us better connection with each other, help us build personal and family competence to be me patient, forgiving and tolerant with each other and our Faith can give us Hope.
Jesus walking on the waters is not simply a demonstration of His miraculous powers, but more basically a manifestation of who Jesus is. Jesus does what God does in the Old Testament. He opens a path on the mighty waters and speaks of Himself with the very name of God. He proclaims, “ It is I” echoing the name God gives Himself in the Book of Exodus.
The image of Peter walking on the water and then sinking and crying out to Jesus to save him is one of the most vivid images of the gospels. It is a perfect example of “little faith” enough faith to want to be with Jesus and do what He does, enough faith to cry out, “ Lord save me”, when disaster threatens- but not enough faith to quell all doubts, not enough faith to walk with Jesus when the going becomes difficult.
We can see our own faith life portrayed as we go through this Pandemic. We want to follow Jesus, but sometimes we become terrified by the winds and waves of our life and we begin to sink. It is when we feel that sinking sensation that we need to cry out to the Lord and ask Him to save us. He will stretch out His hand and say to each of us: “take courage, it is I. Do not be afraid.”
I sometimes see myself as Peter. More often I see myself as one of the other disciples in the boat of the Church wondering whether Peter will pull it off. My friends, we all need to have Faith in Jesus to save us. He is the Son of God and no Pandemic is a match for Him.
God Bless ~ Msgr. Powell
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