AGAINST THE WIND OF THE WORLD, FLEEING FROM THE DISBELIEF THAT MAKES US DROWN

Faith in fact "is a personal act: It is the free response of man to the initiative of God who reveals himself ". Therefore it is an answer that we give to God and that some days can be more certain and others more insecure.

 

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Dear Readers of the Island of Patmos,

every person who becomes our friend is always known by looking at their face, seeing his look. Then hearing his words, An initial sympathy arises in us which can be confirmed through the gestures he expresses for us, thus becoming friends. For better or for worse, who we are and who our neighbor is is always demonstrated by our gestures and words. This also happens in today's Gospel, in which Jesus makes himself recognized in divine filiation starting from his actions.

In the last few weeks we have heard several discourses in parables of the Lord. On this XIX Sunday of ordinary time we find an episode that happened in the middle of the sea. Here's the passage: from the speech to the action of Jesus. Because God always accompanies every His Word towards us with a gesture and a concrete sign.

In this passage of the Gospel Jesus asks the Apostles to get into their boat, who shortly after finds herself in the middle of a storm and forced to sail against the wind. We can understand this situation experienced by the Apostles a little’ bring it closer to us today. Traditionally, the boat, the Fathers of the Church have always interpreted it as the symbol of the Church, the vessel of Christ that makes us navigate the waters of the world. Even today the Church is in the storm with the wind blowing against it, immersed in a contemporary society contrary to any invitation or any value of our faith. The church, made up of all who form it, clergy, religious and laity, it moves in stormy waters against the wind of materialistic fashions.

We too as believers we find ourselves in this condition in the most concrete situations: in family, at work, with friends. Let us anchor ourselves in the strength and grace of Jesus which can truly help us to be credible and believing witnesses. The Lord himself gives a sign to his Apostles, to encourage them to move forward and persevere even when sailing in storms and against the wind. He wants to give a sign to testify that he is the Son of God. This is why he starts walking on the water, showing that the waters that oppose the boat are subservient to him. He wants to show the Apostles that by truly entrusting themselves to Him with deep faith, they will be able to calm that storm. This is the reaction of the apostles:

«Seeing him walking on the sea, the disciples were shocked and said: “It's a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying: “Courage, it's me, do not be afraid!”»[Mt 14,22-33].

Peter decides to walk on the water, but it sinks, risks drowning. So Jesus, quickly, he reaches him and shows him his disbelief which pushed him not to trust in Him. She takes him by the hand and doesn't let him drown. Then he gets back on the boat with Peter and, Finally, the storm stops. Only at this moment do the Apostles recognize him as the Son of God.

Those of Jesus are words addressed to all of us, often incredulous and arid, unable to trust Him. We believers can also experience these moments of aridity, many saints and mystics also lived there, just think of the "dark night of the spirit" experienced for forty years by Saint John of the Cross.

Too often we want to do it alone regardless of grace, or without grace, as the Holy Father says, thus risking falling into Pelagianism, that heresy of the fifth century which claimed that man could save himself and do good things with his own strength alone. On the contrary, with words that I feel are sweet and understanding, Jesus says to us, like Peter, to have a simple faith and to entrust ourselves to Him. We employ our responsibility, our virtue, let's give Jesus true faith and He will be able to transform every moment of our life into a masterpiece, where we will block all spiritual and existential storms.

Today Jesus urges us to become aware of our unbelief, to take the step of getting out of it, to escape from this little faith and we too say "Truly you are the Son of God and you are Lord of my life".

Let us ask the Lord for the grace of faith that is alive and active in love, to be able to look at the whole world with contemplative eyes full of wisdom, so that the world can give us back the plan and the gaze of love that God has for all of us.

Amen.

Santa Maria Novella in Florence, 13 August 2023

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