August 13, 2017

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Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 115

Reading 11 KGS 19:9A, 11-13A

At the mountain of God, Horeb,
Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter.
Then the LORD said to him,
"Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;
the LORD will be passing by."
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains
and crushing rocks before the LORD—
but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake—
but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was fire—
but the LORD was not in the fire.
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Responsorial PsalmPS 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14

R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD — for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Reading 2ROM 9:1-5

Brothers and sisters:
I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie;
my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness
that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ
for the sake of my own people,
my kindred according to the flesh.
They are Israelites;
theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
theirs the patriarchs, and from them,
according to the flesh, is the Christ,
who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

AlleluiaCF. PS 130:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I wait for the Lord;
my soul waits for his word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelMT 14:22-33

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."
Peter said to him in reply,
"Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."
He said, "Come."
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter,
and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
"Truly, you are the Son of God."

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On the Water and In the Water?

Introductory Prayer: Father, I believe in you with all my heart. I trust in your infinite goodness and mercy. Thank you for so patiently guiding me along the pathway to everlasting life. I love you and offer all that I have and all that I do to you, for your glory and the salvation of souls.

Petition: Lord, help me to trust in you when I am making my decisions.

1. The Divine Name: As if being battered by the wind and waves weren’t enough to instill a feeling of doom and dread, in the midst of it all, the apostles saw a shadowy figure gliding along the water. They were scared! Who wouldn’t be? Jesus speaks directly to their fear. “Take heart; it is I,” – literally in early Greek translation, “I am.” This is biblical code language that evokes powerfully the presence of God. When Moses stood before the burning bush, at a loss as to how he, the tongue-tied fugitive from Egypt, was supposed to go back to the Pharaoh and convince that hardened soul to liberate the enslaved Hebrews, he felt he just could not do it. God’s answer to Moses’ hesitation and doubt was to tell Moses his name, “I AM.” God’s very name is presence, and that presence brings reassurance. We are not alone as we face life’s challenges.

2. Walking on Water: Peter’s gut reaction is to believe in Christ. “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” As he stands up on the boat, preparing for that daring leap, the other disciples are hunkered down, still holding on for dear life. Peter’s faith inspires us: At times we face crucial decisions and feel like we are about to jump out of a boat as well. The indecision we experience can seem rational. We don’t want to drown, after all. But Peter’s leap was not simply blind or foolhardy. He knew that by himself he was better off putting on a life jacket. But Christ was commanding him, “Come.” This story is not a recipe for rashness. It is a story of faith-filled obedience. When we know in our heart of hearts that Jesus has said “Come,” the leap that we take is a good decision because it is grounded in faith and trust.

3. A Helping Hand: Peter leaps, but he brings all his flaws with him as he lands on the solid water. The wind and the waves overwhelm his awareness of the miracle, and along with the doubt, he finds himself in the water. How beautiful that Peter’s very fall awakens his faith again. He does not attempt to rely on his swimming prowess to get back into the boat. He cries out, “Lord, save me.” Christ’s heart is filled with mercy. He immediately stretches out his hand to save his water-logged vicar. He is anxious for Peter—and us—to learn the lesson. “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” In other words, “Don’t take your eyes off of me! I will keep you afloat.”

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, you called Peter to walk on water. As long as he believed in you and your power, he was fine, but his doubt got the upper hand. Strengthen my faith so that I can be obedient to you. Help me when the wind and the waves are fierce, and the inclination to doubt asserts itself. Help me to stay on top of the water!

Resolution: I will pray first and then make faith-filled decisions today.

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God Bless You.....

KONKANI PRAYER GROUP - Abu Dhabi

"Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone" Mark 16:15

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Saturday, August 12, 2017

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August 13, 2017