19th Sunday A

Welcome to the Bible Study 19 th Sunday in Ordinary Time August 7, 2011 In preparation for this Sunday’s Liturgy In aid of focusing our homilies and sharing Prepared by Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM

9 There Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter. But the word of the LORD came to him, "Why are you here, Elijah?" 11 Then the LORD said, "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. 12 After the earthquake there was fire -- but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. 13 When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. First Reading: 1 Kings 19,9a.11-13a The focus is on the Lord passing by .

Setting: Cave 9 There Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter. But the word of the LORD came to him, "Why are you here, Elijah?" The Lord passing by 11 Then the LORD said, "Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by." Theophanies 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. 12 After the earthquake there was fire -- but the LORD was not in the fire. The Lord passing by in a whispering sound After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. 13 When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. First Reading: 1 Kings 19,9a.11-13a A simple outline!

Setting: Cave 9 There Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter. But the word of the LORD came to him, "Why are you here, Elijah?" The Lord passing by 11 Then the LORD said, "Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by." Theophanies 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. 12 After the earthquake there was fire -- but the LORD was not in the fire. The Lord passing by in a whispering sound After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. 13 When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. Commentary Elijah ran away from Jezebel who wanted to kill him because he killed her prophets. Elijah takes refuge in Mt. Horeb (Sinai) in a cave. In v.9, God talks to Elijah inside the cave. He asks a typical question. God asks Elijah a question as if He (God) does not know what is happening (style of the author). The author sometimes presents God as not all knowing. But God wants to console him. In v.11, God commands him to go outside and stand before the Lord. The reason: God is passing by. What is so important about God passing by? Isn’t God already in the mountain talking to Elijah? First Reading: 1 Kings 19,9a.11-13a

Setting: Cave 9 There Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter. But the word of the LORD came to him, "Why are you here, Elijah?" The Lord passing by 11 Then the LORD said, "Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by." Theophanies 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. 12 After the earthquake there was fire -- but the LORD was not in the fire. The Lord passing by in a whispering sound After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. 13 When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. V.11-b enumerates the usual way God manifests himself: A strong and heavy wind Earthquake Fire (v.12) The author repeatedly says: but the Lord was not in the wind, in the earthquake, in the fire… The Lord was in a tiny whispering sound. (v.12) In v.13, Elijah appropriately responds. Now he covers his face and goes out and stand at the entrance of the cave. At this point, we are informed that Elijah did not go out of the cave right away. We have to understand the author’s way of narrating. First Reading: 1 Kings 19,9a.11-13a

Reflections on the 1 st reading Like Elijah, we may be running for our lives because some people would like to eliminate us. God assures us of his gentle presence. He may not be present in spectacular ways (like in a strong wind, earthquake and fire). When he consoles us, he comes in a soothing way. Let’s be prepared to get out of our caves and wait for God, who is passing by. We may miss him, if we are always in our hiding places (comfort zones).

Resp. Ps. 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14 R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. 9 I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD — for he proclaims peace. 10 Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. 11 Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. 12 Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. 13 The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. 14 Justice shall walk before him, and prepare the way of his steps.

Resp. Ps. 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14 R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. 9 I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD — for he proclaims peace. 10 Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. 11 Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. 12 Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. 13 The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. 14 Justice shall walk before him, and prepare the way of his steps. Commentary In v.9, the psalmist listens to what God proclaims: peace. V.10 says that salvation is close to those who fear God. Vv.11-12 speak of kindness, truth, justice and peace. They shall rule the world. V.13 acknowledges God who gives fertility to the land. In v.14, justice precedes the coming of God.

Reflections on the Psalm God comes to our rescue if we fear him. He wants to save us from harm. He is kind and just to the needy. He makes the land fertile and fruitful.

Second Reading: Romans 9,1-5 I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins with the holy Spirit in bearing me witness 2 that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kin according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; 5 theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Messiah. God who is over all be blessed forever. Amen. The focus is on Paul’s sadness .

Second Reading: Romans 9,1-5 Paul’s sadness I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins with the holy Spirit in bearing me witness 2 that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kin according to the flesh. The Israelites (Jews) 4 They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; 5 theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Messiah. God who is over all be blessed forever. Amen. A simple outline!

Second Reading: Romans 9,1-5 Paul’s sadness 1 I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins with the holy Spirit in bearing me witness 2 that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kin according to the flesh. The Israelites (Jews) 4 They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; 5 theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Messiah. God who is over all be blessed forever. Amen. Commentary In v.1, Paul affirms what he is doing. I speak the truth (+) I do not lie (-). In v.1-b2, Paul reveals his disappointment and frustrations. V.3 spells out the reason. In a very negative way, Paul wants to be accursed if only to save his Jewish brethren. V.4 states their privileges: Adoption Glory Covenants Giving of law Promises Patriarchs Messiah

Reflections on the 2 nd reading Like Paul, we can experience sadness when we do not get the expected response. We feel offended when the people we are helping do not respond well. As “failed” missionaries and church workers, we can take consolation from Paul. Many times, no matter what we do, the sacrifices we make can go down the drain. We are not the only ones who are taken for granted.

Gospel: Matthew 14, 22-33 22 Then Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. "It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear. 27 At once (Jesus) spoke to them, " Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid ." 28 Peter said to him in reply, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." 29 He said, "Come." Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw how (strong) the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32 After they got into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God." The focus is on taking courage .

Gospel: Matthew 14, 22-33 Setting: Disciples going into the boat / Jesus praying by himself / boat not making progress 22 Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Boat making little progress 24 Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. Jesus coming / disciples being terrified 25 During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. "It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear. 27 At once (Jesus) spoke to them, " Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid ." Peter and Jesus 28 Peter said to him in reply, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." 29 He said, "Come." Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw how (strong) the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32 After they got into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God." A simple outline!

Gospel: Matthew 14, 22-33 Setting: Disciples going into the boat / Jesus praying by himself / boat not making progress 22 Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Boat making little progress 24 Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. Jesus coming / disciples being terrified 25 During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. "It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear. 27 At once (Jesus) spoke to them, " Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid ." Commentary In v.22, Jesus asks his disciples to go ahead of him to the other side of the lake. In v.23, we get a reason why Jesus remains behind for the time being. To pray While Jesus prays, the disciples make little progress to the land. V.24 heightens the difficulty of the boat coming ashore, due to the waves and (wind). V.25 indicates the delay of reaching their destination, until the fourth watch (between 3 and 6 AM). The disciples spent the whole night in the sea; so Jesus has to come to their rescue. In v.26, the disciples are frightened at the sight of him. They mis-identify him as a “ghost.” In v.27, Jesus assures them “It is I.” They must take courage.

Gospel: Matthew 14, 22-33 Peter and Jesus 28 Peter said to him in reply, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." 29 He said, "Come." Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw how (strong) the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32 After they got into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God." In v.28, Peter takes initiative to talk to Jesus. Peter asks the Lord to allow him to come to him on the water. Jesus responds anyway and invites him to join him. V.29 In v.30, Peter begins to sink when he sees the strong wind and he cries out in fear, “Lord, save me.” Immediately, Jesus saves him, but makes an important remark, “O you of little faith,….” v.31 Jesus joins them in the boat and the wind stops blowing. V.32 The disciples in the boat are moved to worship Jesus and affirm him as the “Son of God.”

Reflections on the gospel reading We may be like the disciples, who make little progress in our struggle to reach our destination. We must believe that after trying hard to help ourselves, Jesus will come to our rescue. Jesus asks us to take courage. We must have faith in him. We must allow him to journey with us and everything will be alright. Our fears should not paralyze us.

Tying up the 3 readings and the Psalm The first reading talks about the “fear” of Elijah and God coming to him. The psalm assures us of God’s help in time of need. The second reading talks about Paul’s great sorrow . The gospel reading talks about taking courage. We must respond to God’s words of encouragement.

Fear Elijah was afraid of Jezebel. (1 st reading) Paul was utterly sad at his fellow Jews. (2 nd reading) The disciples were afraid of the ghost. Peter was afraid of the wind. (gospel) God’s presence A tiny little wind (soothing breeze) (1 st reading) God was present to the Jews through the covenant and law, etc. (2 nd reading) Jesus says “It is I. It is me. Don’t be afraid.”( Qarsei/te( evgw, eivmi\ mh. fobei/sqe ) (gospel) Recognition of God Elijah recognized God in the gentle breeze, when he obeyed the word. (1 st reading) Paul recognized God in Jesus the messiah, through the OT. (2 nd reading) The disciples recognized God in Jesus coming to them in the boat. (gospel) Further Observations

How to develop your homilies /sharing We experience fear , real or imagined, in our lives. Fear of rejection Fear of the dark Fear of the future Fear of the unknown (the doctor might say you have cancer) Fear of losing a friend or material possession

We fear of losing our jobs, our homes and means of support. We fear our hostile neighbors, who are addicted to drugs and alcohol and gambling. We fear of being persecuted by our political opponents. Fear of death and death threats When we experience any of these, the readings have an important message for us.

In the first reading , God says to us, who are threatened by other people and by our own unfounded fears , “Get out of your caves and stand by. God is passing by.” Elijah was running away from Jezebel. He feared for his life. In hiding, God talks to Elijah to come out of the cave because God is passing by. To dispel Elijah’s fear , God assures him of his presence, not accompanied by extraordinary signs as in the time of Moses, but a soothing voice or breeze. Our fears are also dispelled by the gentle presence of God, if we believe and act on it.

The second reading does not directly talk about fear , but sadness. It says to us: “Christians, rejoice. Do not be afraid. We are much better off than the Jews, who did not accept Jesus.” Paul is happy with us because we readily receive the gospel of Jesus Christ, when it is preached to us, like the Christians in Rome. Since we believe, God has destined us to go to heaven. We must be confident and unafraid .

The gospel reading encourages the fearful Christians “to take courage.” We may be facing insurmountable problems, impossible to solve, but God is coming to rescue us. We should pray out loud to him, like the apostles, like Peter. (Lord, save us… [ full volume ] ) We should not be afraid of Jesus, who is coming to save us. Let us stay focused and calm. Let us not panic, otherwise, we mis-identify Jesus as a ghost, not a savior, when he comes. Even if we have little faith, we must use it. God will listen to us just the same.

All God is saying is: We should respond to his words of assurance by active listening to the word of God by coming out of our “caves”, shells, our invented security, out of our desperation by allowing Jesus to control our lives and environment. by faith!

The experience of salvation is expressed in worship or in our liturgical celebration. In the eucharist , we, who have fears, entrust ourselves into the hands of God. In the eucharist , Jesus comes to assure us of his love and salvation. In the eucharist , we thank God for coming to bring us salvation.

Our Context of Sin and Grace Phobias Homophobia Claustrophobia Hemophobia Psychological illnesses Insecurities Anxieties Worries Always fearful Cowardice Avoidance Withdrawal No sense of danger Hypochondriac Courage Valiant Valor Heroism Self-confidence Self-esteem Ability to take risk Calculated risk Unshakeable faith The End

Suggested Songs Be Not Afraid Problems http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v =h9VZdkKrTdI I Love You All http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v =qxaP-9mLXCE

19th Sunday A

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19th Sunday A