From the Deacon's Desk

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings: 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a / Romans 9:1-5 / Matthew 14:22-33

I will be delivering the following homily at all Masses this morning at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Indianapolis, IN:

I want to be fully transparent about the homily you are about to hear.

For those of you who like things to be black and white, you may get frustrated. The homily will raise more questions than it answers.

If you are not a fan of self-reflection, you may get frustrated as well, as I will be encouraging you to do quite a bit of it.

I had originally planned to focus on one word found in today’s gospel. I wanted to share the power and truth of that word. The word was IMMEDIATELY.

We heard in the gospel that Jesus walked on the water toward a boat full of disciples during a storm. Peter attempted to get out of the boat and walk to Jesus. When he climbed from the boat, the storm and his fear overtook him and he began to sink into the water.

The gospel told us that, “Peter cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter…”

IMMEDIATELY.

My original plan was to convince you that whenever we are facing hardship or difficult challenges or fear of the unknown, all we need to do is cry out to God and He will IMMEDIATELY pull us out of the darkness.

I planned to emphasize the importance of maintaining a commitment to prayer and turning to God for all of our needs. True and true.

However, many questions started popping up in my head and a new focus emerged.

In my life, I’ve gone through dark times, suffered losses, and have felt lost and afraid of the unknown.

I cried out to God for help. And I hate to say this, but God’s help was not always immediate. Jesus did not immediately reach down and pull me from the stormy waters. There were some times, in fact, that I felt like God did not respond at all.

So, I ask this question on behalf of all of us: When we cry out to God in our need, why do we not always receive immediate relief, or perhaps any relief at all?

As I mentioned before, I have more questions than answers when it comes to that very complex question.

Unfortunately, I cannot provide a definitive answer. I do not know the mind of God. It is a question between God and each individual, and requires us to self-reflect and ask ourselves difficult questions.

To begin with, Did we cry out to God for help or were we afraid to give up control?

If we did turn to God, what was the state of our heart when we called out for help? Was our cry for help sincere and authentic?

Did we cry out with conviction? Did we have confidence that God could do what we asked of Him? Or did we have doubt?

Is it possible God did answer our cry for help, but it was not the answer we expected, hoped for, or wanted?

Is it possible that God wanted us to endure certain hardships or losses, or make painful sacrifices in order to open the door to a greater good? To an important lesson we needed to learn? To some wisdom to be gained?

Can we recall Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane? Jesus cried out to his Father for help, using the words: “…if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.”

He was crying out in his human anguish, asking God to save him. God’s hand did not immediatelycome down from the sky and pull Jesus out of harm’s way. As painful as it was for God to not intervene, there was a greater good to be realized. It was God’s will that man be saved and that salvation was dependent upon the pain and suffering of Jesus.

I can think of several times in my life when I cried out to God for help and received no immediate relief. It was not until later I was able to look back and see the blessings I received or the wisdom I gained as a result of having endured that particular hardship. Not immediate help, but a gift nonetheless. God’s will for me prevailed.

Still another question: Is it possible that in response to our cries for help, God sent others to help us? Is it possible we were too blind to see them right in front of us or too proud to accept their help?

It was God’s will that Jesus should carry the cross. Later, when Jesus struggled and fell under the weight of the cross, God did not immediately stretch down His hand and lift the weight from him. However, God did provide help in the person Simon of Cyrene. 

God’s help will not likely come to us in the human person of Jesus, a lightning bolt from the sky, an angel from heaven, or a divine vision. It is much more likely to come from the people God sends to our aid, the people who show us compassion and walk with us through pain and hardship.

Have we ignored or turned away our Simon of Cyrene?

I cannot offer a definitive answer to questions about why God does or doesn’t respond to our call for help, or how or when the response will come.

I can say this with certainty and from experience: The best chance for our cries for help to be answered are persistent prayer, a steadfast trust in God’s will for us, and the recognition of God’s presence in our lives.

A strong faith relies on our ability to believe in things we cannot see and accept things we cannot fully understand. We will never understand the mind of God. We may never fully understand God’s will for us.

Our response to hardship, fear, and pain should mimic that of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus said, “My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!”

We should continue to cry out to God when we are in need. Then, we leave our pain and fear and anxiety in God’s hands to do as He will.

Pray and trust in God.