News & Events
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Posted in News
9th August 2026
Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33 KJV):
And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a boat,
and to go before him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes
away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a
mountain apart to pray and when evening came, the wind was contrary.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on
the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were
troubled, saying, it is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But
straightway Jesus spoke to them, saying, be of good cheer; it is I; be
not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it is you, bid
me come to you on the water. And he said, “Come”. And when Peter came
out of the boat, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus, but when he
saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he
cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth
his hand, and caught him, and said to him, O You of little faith, why
did you doubt? And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then
those who were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, truly You
are the Son of God
—————————–
Homily
Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33 KJV):
And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a boat,
and to go before him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes
away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a
mountain apart to pray and when evening came, the wind was contrary.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on
the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were
troubled, saying, it is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But
straightway Jesus spoke to them, saying, be of good cheer; it is I; be
not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it is you, bid
me come to you on the water. And he said, “Come”. And when Peter came
out of the boat, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus, but when he
saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he
cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth
his hand, and caught him, and said to him, O You of little faith, why
did you doubt? And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then
those who were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, truly You
are the Son of God
—————————–
Homily
I remember, many years ago, I must have been around five or six years
old, when am old aunt of mine, staying with us during the holidays,
one evening began to call my brothers and sisters outside to the
gallery of the house where we were staying. I remember hearing my
elder brothers and sisters, bursting into laughter at what they saw.
When my turn came along, I went out to see what my aunt was doing.
What I saw was a mask of the most horned face I had ever seen. I
thought that I was seeing something from the underworld. I jumped
straight into my father arms in tears. That event affected me
psychologically for many years. I became afraid of the dark, of
funerals and of anything which could or would remind me of the
underworld. Fear can paralyze us; it can also save us from dangerous
situations. The Gospel reading given to us for this the 19th Sunday
of Ordinary Time, cycle A, is a gospel passage which deals with the
problem of fear. The Gospel story we know very well. The apostles are
in a boat on the sea of Galilee. It is late at night, and the waters
are rough. Jesus was not with them; he had been in the mountains
praying and decided to go to meet them. The Gospel passage tells us
that in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on
the water of the lake and they were terrified. They think that they
are seeing a spirit and they cry out in fear. That crying out in fear
is a natural human reaction to something which we do not understand
and which we think can do us harm. Jesus, good shepherd that he was
tries immediately to calm them. He calls out to them, “It is I, do not
be afraid.” Peter, when Jesus reveals himself gets some courage and
tells Jesus, “If it is you Lord bid me come to you on the water”.
Jesus tells Peter, “Come”. Peter gets out of the boat and starts
walking on the water, but faced with the strong winds, Peter suddenly
realizes the danger which that moment would normally create and he
doubts, and as his doubt increases, he begins to sink and he cries
out, Jesus stretches out his hand and catches him. He asks Peter,
“Why did you doubt. You have little faith.”
My dear sisters and brothers, the vocation of every disciple of Jesus
is martyrdom. The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus, the Word sent by
the Father, came to his own, and his own did not receive Him. Then I
often ask myself, when faced by all the corruption and lack of love
exhibited in the world of today, how are we to recreate the beauty of
the Garden of Eden. The forces of Evil seem to overthrow all the
efforts for good. The wars, now being fought; the refusal of certain
nations to work for climate control, human trafficking, the
abandonment of refugees, the growing number of the poor, climate
change and new diseases, all fill us with fear and like the apostles
in the boat, We cry, Lord save us we are sinking.
My dear sisters and brothers, Fear paralyses us. As we face forces of
evil, we often do nothing to contradict what we know to be wrong. Fear
has to be overcome. Tradition tells us that when the persecution of
the first Christians began in Rome, St. Peter chief of the apostles
decided to leave Rome, to escape from the violence. This was the
second time that Peter was seeking to avoid confronting the violence
that accompanying Jesus often caused. Tradition tells us that on the
road he met Jeaus going to Rome. When Peter asked him why he was going
to Rome, Jesus told him, “To be crucified again” We are told that
Peter, hearing that answer, was overcome by shame and returned to
Rome, and was eventually crucified himself. My dear sisters and
brothers, the following of Christ often leads to suffering, but
suffering for Christ leads to the joys of heaven. The experience of
the bandit crucified with Christ, without blaming Christ leads to the
words of Jesus, today you will be with me in paradise. Fear of
suffering often stops us from doing what Christ wants from us. The
words of Jesus to the sinking Peter must be close to our hearts. “Why
do you doubt, O, You of little faith.’
evil, we often do nothing to contradict what we know to be wrong. Fear
has to be overcome. Tradition tells us that when the persecution of
the first Christians began in Rome, St. Peter chief of the apostles
decided to leave Rome, to escape from the violence. This was the
second time that Peter was seeking to avoid confronting the violence
that accompanying Jesus often caused. Tradition tells us that on the
road he met Jeaus going to Rome. When Peter asked him why he was going
to Rome, Jesus told him, “To be crucified again” We are told that
Peter, hearing that answer, was overcome by shame and returned to
Rome, and was eventually crucified himself. My dear sisters and
brothers, the following of Christ often leads to suffering, but
suffering for Christ leads to the joys of heaven. The experience of
the bandit crucified with Christ, without blaming Christ leads to the
words of Jesus, today you will be with me in paradise. Fear of
suffering often stops us from doing what Christ wants from us. The
words of Jesus to the sinking Peter must be close to our hearts. “Why
do you doubt, O, You of little faith.’
I remember many years ago. While still in the missions, preaching a sermon and saying
some very harsh things about the government. As I slept that night, I
was awakened by knocking on my door. I was afraid because of what I
had said in my homily that evening. I did not want to go to prison,
and I did not want to be tortured. I decided not to answer but the
knocking continued. After a while, full of fear, I went to the door
and opened it very slowly. It was a young man standing there who told
me that his father was very ill in the hospital and needed a priest. I
did not know whether to believe him or not, but I went with him to the
hospital, attended to his father and went back to the parish house. As
I lay in bed trying to sleep, I realized that if I had let fear
dictate what I should do, that man may have died without a priest.
Fear often paralyses us. We do not do what we should do because we are
afraid of what people might say, because one may be helping a
criminal, or for some other reason, and we forget the saying of Jesus,
“When you did it to one of the least of my brothers or sisters, you
did it to me.” How often we pass Jesus on the streets without helping
him. We forget the words of the prophet Isaiah in 41:14 “He was a
worm and not a man. The worm is a symbol of extreme weakness and
helplessness. Care and concern for human worms must define us. People
may think us stupid when we help those who have become worms. We
cannot and must not listen to those who, despite their possessions,
let others become worms. We will have to answer for it if that happens
because we are afraid.t. Fear my dear sisters and brothers, paralyses
us. How often we do not say what we should because we are afraid of
what people may think. How often in countries run by dictators,
Christians are not elected or are not being chosen for important
positions. Often in religious life, we do not speak out because we are
afraid of superiors, and because we are afraid the rot often
continues. My dear sisters and brothers, our primal vocation is the
call to martyrdom. Defending the call of Jesus to live love and
integrity often leads to suffering. The lives of many of our saints,
show us people who although afraid of suffering, as most of us are,
accepted prison, death and suffering to live lives of true adhesion to
the words of Jesus. During the second world war, in concentration
camps, saints like Maximilian Kolbe replaced others condemned to die
because those others had families. Fear of suffering and death may
paralyze us, but God gives the courage to accept suffering and death
for the sake of the Kingdom. The lives of the Uganda martyrs and the
martyrs of Korea show us that with God’s grace, the acceptance of
martyrdom is possible.
some very harsh things about the government. As I slept that night, I
was awakened by knocking on my door. I was afraid because of what I
had said in my homily that evening. I did not want to go to prison,
and I did not want to be tortured. I decided not to answer but the
knocking continued. After a while, full of fear, I went to the door
and opened it very slowly. It was a young man standing there who told
me that his father was very ill in the hospital and needed a priest. I
did not know whether to believe him or not, but I went with him to the
hospital, attended to his father and went back to the parish house. As
I lay in bed trying to sleep, I realized that if I had let fear
dictate what I should do, that man may have died without a priest.
Fear often paralyses us. We do not do what we should do because we are
afraid of what people might say, because one may be helping a
criminal, or for some other reason, and we forget the saying of Jesus,
“When you did it to one of the least of my brothers or sisters, you
did it to me.” How often we pass Jesus on the streets without helping
him. We forget the words of the prophet Isaiah in 41:14 “He was a
worm and not a man. The worm is a symbol of extreme weakness and
helplessness. Care and concern for human worms must define us. People
may think us stupid when we help those who have become worms. We
cannot and must not listen to those who, despite their possessions,
let others become worms. We will have to answer for it if that happens
because we are afraid.t. Fear my dear sisters and brothers, paralyses
us. How often we do not say what we should because we are afraid of
what people may think. How often in countries run by dictators,
Christians are not elected or are not being chosen for important
positions. Often in religious life, we do not speak out because we are
afraid of superiors, and because we are afraid the rot often
continues. My dear sisters and brothers, our primal vocation is the
call to martyrdom. Defending the call of Jesus to live love and
integrity often leads to suffering. The lives of many of our saints,
show us people who although afraid of suffering, as most of us are,
accepted prison, death and suffering to live lives of true adhesion to
the words of Jesus. During the second world war, in concentration
camps, saints like Maximilian Kolbe replaced others condemned to die
because those others had families. Fear of suffering and death may
paralyze us, but God gives the courage to accept suffering and death
for the sake of the Kingdom. The lives of the Uganda martyrs and the
martyrs of Korea show us that with God’s grace, the acceptance of
martyrdom is possible.
Fear, however, can often motivate us to do good. Fear of the
punishments of hell, often stop us from sin but at times sin is
presented in such an attractive way that we forget that sin can lead
to the fires of hell. As we get older, we often ask ourselves whether
God will forgive us. We ask ourselves whether we are truly sorry for
the evil that we have done, whether we have respected the human
dignity of others, whether we have seriously looked after the widow
and the orphan.
punishments of hell, often stop us from sin but at times sin is
presented in such an attractive way that we forget that sin can lead
to the fires of hell. As we get older, we often ask ourselves whether
God will forgive us. We ask ourselves whether we are truly sorry for
the evil that we have done, whether we have respected the human
dignity of others, whether we have seriously looked after the widow
and the orphan.
Have we as religious lived the dictates of religious life. Have we
tried to live the harmony of the Garden of Eden and encourage others
to rebuild the harmony which was lost? Do we deserve forgiveness?
My dear Sisters and brothers, It is important for all of us that we do
not concentrate on the negatives. The Gospel passage given to us for
this weekend ends with the words “And when they were come into the
ship, the wind ceased Then they that were in the ship came and
worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God” To the
negative reaction of the apostles, the evangelist Matthew ends this
episode positively. We are called to do the same.
The first positive is to remember that we have a God who is Mercy and
love. He shows Peter that he can walk on the water if he does not
doubt. How often in life, my dear sisters and brothers we have done
things, good things that we thought we could never do. I think it
might be a good idea to write those things down to remind us of what
with God’s grace, we have done.
We are told in the Gospel reading “And in the fourth watch of the
night Jesus went unto them, walking on the lake and they were
terrified. It is a spirit they said; and they cried out for fear but
straightway Jesus spoke to them, saying, be of good cheer; it is I; be
not afraid”. The second episode that is of importance to us is the
problem of fear. The Gospel reading tells us that when we are afraid,
we must turn to Jesus who will take away our fear.
It is important however that we listen to the Popes and the college of
bishops. We must never forget the words of St. John Paul 2, when in
the homily of his inaugural Mass as Pope, He exhorted us, “Brothers
and sisters, do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power.
Help the Pope and all those who wish to serve Christ and with Christ’s
power to serve the human person and the whole of mankind, Do not be
afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ. To his saving power open the
boundaries of States, economic and political systems, the vast fields
of culture, civilization and development. Do not be afraid Christ
knows what is in man. He alone knows it” …So often today man does not
know what is within him, in the depths of his mind and heart. So often
he is uncertain about the meaning of his life on this earth. He is
assailed by doubt, a doubt, a doubt which often turns to despair. We
ask you therefore, we beg you with humility and trust, let Christ
speak to man. He alone has the words of life, yes of eternal life”
The Pope goes farther however and exhorts us “to go out into the
deep” carrying his word with us. So that others may hear it, and
hearing it give their lives to God.
The third episode which we must bear in mind is the attitude of
thanksgiving. The Gospel reading tells us that “when they had come
into the ship, the wind ceased, then they who were in the boat came
and worshipped him, saying, of a truth thou art the Son of God.
My brothers and sisters, thanksgiving must be one of the
characteristics of disciples of Jesus, because without Him we are
nothing. How wonderful it would be if religious institutes made it
their goal that all their members, because of their desire to make
Christ known, helped all their members to know and experience Christ
in the very depths of their being, and not only their members but
those that they help materially. How wonderful it would be if our
communities were all homes for Jesus, because when you do it to and
for the least of the brothers and sisters, you do it to HIM, How
wonderful it would be if in the worm, we saw the man Jesus.
Finally, my dear sisters and brothers, there is a problem which
affects many who because of past sin, some of them very serious, doubt
whether they will be forgiven by God. Some think that they cannot be
forgiven. The words of Jesus to Peter, who was to deny Jesus on the
night of his betrayal, and then on the road to Rome to escape the
persecution, ring out again, “Why do you doubt. You have little
faith.” Peter’s denial of Jesus was a serious offence. His running
away from Rome, because of the persecution, was also serious, yet
Peter was forgiven. God my dear sisters and brothers, always forgives,
if we truly repent, truly forgive ourselves and decide to do better.
Belief, my dear sisters and brothers, belief in a God who is love,
forces us to believe that God forgives. Let us believe.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God, the sin of our first parents still
affects us. We concentrate on ourselves and not on you. The words of
Pope Benedict, God is love, call out to us. They call us to believe
that you desire our happiness, You invite us to believe that harmony
is possible, that greed and self-centeredness can be overcome. Help us
to resist the temptations of power, of prestige, and of riches which
blind so many of us and lead us to live without care and concern for
others, especially the widow and the orphan. Father, we ask you to
raise up workers for harmony so that the world may be a place of
happiness and joy. We ask this through the intercession of Mary, our
mother and Jesus, your Son and our brother. Amen
tried to live the harmony of the Garden of Eden and encourage others
to rebuild the harmony which was lost? Do we deserve forgiveness?
My dear Sisters and brothers, It is important for all of us that we do
not concentrate on the negatives. The Gospel passage given to us for
this weekend ends with the words “And when they were come into the
ship, the wind ceased Then they that were in the ship came and
worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God” To the
negative reaction of the apostles, the evangelist Matthew ends this
episode positively. We are called to do the same.
The first positive is to remember that we have a God who is Mercy and
love. He shows Peter that he can walk on the water if he does not
doubt. How often in life, my dear sisters and brothers we have done
things, good things that we thought we could never do. I think it
might be a good idea to write those things down to remind us of what
with God’s grace, we have done.
We are told in the Gospel reading “And in the fourth watch of the
night Jesus went unto them, walking on the lake and they were
terrified. It is a spirit they said; and they cried out for fear but
straightway Jesus spoke to them, saying, be of good cheer; it is I; be
not afraid”. The second episode that is of importance to us is the
problem of fear. The Gospel reading tells us that when we are afraid,
we must turn to Jesus who will take away our fear.
It is important however that we listen to the Popes and the college of
bishops. We must never forget the words of St. John Paul 2, when in
the homily of his inaugural Mass as Pope, He exhorted us, “Brothers
and sisters, do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power.
Help the Pope and all those who wish to serve Christ and with Christ’s
power to serve the human person and the whole of mankind, Do not be
afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ. To his saving power open the
boundaries of States, economic and political systems, the vast fields
of culture, civilization and development. Do not be afraid Christ
knows what is in man. He alone knows it” …So often today man does not
know what is within him, in the depths of his mind and heart. So often
he is uncertain about the meaning of his life on this earth. He is
assailed by doubt, a doubt, a doubt which often turns to despair. We
ask you therefore, we beg you with humility and trust, let Christ
speak to man. He alone has the words of life, yes of eternal life”
The Pope goes farther however and exhorts us “to go out into the
deep” carrying his word with us. So that others may hear it, and
hearing it give their lives to God.
The third episode which we must bear in mind is the attitude of
thanksgiving. The Gospel reading tells us that “when they had come
into the ship, the wind ceased, then they who were in the boat came
and worshipped him, saying, of a truth thou art the Son of God.
My brothers and sisters, thanksgiving must be one of the
characteristics of disciples of Jesus, because without Him we are
nothing. How wonderful it would be if religious institutes made it
their goal that all their members, because of their desire to make
Christ known, helped all their members to know and experience Christ
in the very depths of their being, and not only their members but
those that they help materially. How wonderful it would be if our
communities were all homes for Jesus, because when you do it to and
for the least of the brothers and sisters, you do it to HIM, How
wonderful it would be if in the worm, we saw the man Jesus.
Finally, my dear sisters and brothers, there is a problem which
affects many who because of past sin, some of them very serious, doubt
whether they will be forgiven by God. Some think that they cannot be
forgiven. The words of Jesus to Peter, who was to deny Jesus on the
night of his betrayal, and then on the road to Rome to escape the
persecution, ring out again, “Why do you doubt. You have little
faith.” Peter’s denial of Jesus was a serious offence. His running
away from Rome, because of the persecution, was also serious, yet
Peter was forgiven. God my dear sisters and brothers, always forgives,
if we truly repent, truly forgive ourselves and decide to do better.
Belief, my dear sisters and brothers, belief in a God who is love,
forces us to believe that God forgives. Let us believe.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God, the sin of our first parents still
affects us. We concentrate on ourselves and not on you. The words of
Pope Benedict, God is love, call out to us. They call us to believe
that you desire our happiness, You invite us to believe that harmony
is possible, that greed and self-centeredness can be overcome. Help us
to resist the temptations of power, of prestige, and of riches which
blind so many of us and lead us to live without care and concern for
others, especially the widow and the orphan. Father, we ask you to
raise up workers for harmony so that the world may be a place of
happiness and joy. We ask this through the intercession of Mary, our
mother and Jesus, your Son and our brother. Amen
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