"Await upon the Lord; be faithful to His commandments; He will elevate your hope"
--- St. Bernard of Clairvaux
"Await upon the Lord; be faithful to His commandments; He will elevate your hope"
--- St. Bernard of Clairvaux
January 30, 2021
Saturday of the Third
Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 322
Brothers and sisters:
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for
and evidence of things not seen.
Because of it the ancients were well attested.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
that he was to receive as an inheritance;
he went out, not knowing where he was to go.
By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country,
dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise;
for he was looking forward to the city with foundations,
whose architect and maker is God.
By faith he received power to generate,
even though he was past the normal age
and Sarah herself was sterile
for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.
So it was that there came forth from one man,
himself as good as dead,
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky
and as countless as the sands on the seashore.
All these died in faith.
They did not receive what had been promised
but saw it and greeted it from afar
and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth,
for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland.
If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come,
they would have had opportunity to return.
But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one.
Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for he has prepared a city for them.
By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac,
and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son,
of whom it was said,
Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.
He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead,
and he received Isaac back as a symbol.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (see 68) Blessed be the Lord the
God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
R. Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old.
that he would save us from our sins
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
R. Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the bonds of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
R. Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God so loved the
world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone
who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Let us cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.
And other boats were with him.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
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Calming Storms with Jesus
Opening Prayer: Lord, as I reflect on these words of yours, help me to put my preoccupations aside and place myself in the boat with you.
Encountering Christ:
1. Jesus Always Initiates: It’s striking that Jesus, who is omniscient, urged the disciples to get into the boat to “cross over to the other side,” knowing that a storm was coming. Jesus seeks us out, knocks at the door of our heart, and sometimes invites us into “bad weather” because he loves us and wants to give us every spiritual gift. By calming the storm, Jesus revealed to his disciples his power and might. As a result, they “were filled with great awe,” which is a precursor to the spiritual gift called “fear of the Lord.” Our Lord was awakening in them virtues like obedience, docility, and reverence, which are foundational for even greater gifts, according to St. Gregory the Great: “Through the fear of the Lord, we rise to piety, from piety then to knowledge, from knowledge we derive strength, from strength counsel, with counsel we move toward understanding, and with intelligence toward wisdom and thus, by the sevenfold grace of the Spirit, there opens to us at the end of the ascent the entrance to the life of heaven” (“Homiliae in Hiezechihelem Prophetam,” II 7,7).
2. Jesus Always Accompanies: Jesus knew the storm was coming and he encouraged the boat’s crossing, but he didn’t intend for the Apostles to go into the storm alone. At their invitation, Jesus got into the boat. He accompanied them. How often do we sense an approaching storm, but fail to go to Jesus with our problem? Even though Jesus knows what’s ahead in our life, he won’t force us to rely on him. He waits to be invited. And when we reflect on his power, his willingness to accompany us, and his infinite love for each of us, why do we ever hesitate to meet him in our prayer and the sacraments?
3. Jesus Always Brings Peace: “The wind ceased and there was great calm.” When we invite Jesus into our life, he brings peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27). Although temporal sufferings may continue, we sense that we rest in Jesus’s pierced palm and feel safe. Everything seems more manageable by God’s grace. “So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).
Conversing with Christ: Lord, there have been many storms in my life. Some I lived without your presence. By your grace, I now know to invite you into my problems so that you can inspire me, send me wisdom, and bring me peace. I am always in awe of your power and presence in my life.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will intentionally seek your peace when I feel stressed or worried.
Today's Prayer
Praised be to You, Lord, because Your love wants to work wonders through our faith in You. Thank You for Your merciful power that restores us in body, soul and spirit. Amen.
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God Bless You.....
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