Father Chas Canoy
Watch the Homily Short
Listen to the Homily Short
Life can feel overwhelming, but Jesus is never far from us. In this Homily Short for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Father Chas reminds us to keep our eyes fixed on Christ, trust Him in the storms of life, and reach for the hand He continually extends to us.
Read the Homily Short
The disciples had just witnessed Jesus multiply five loaves and two fishes to feed 5,000 men along with their families. After that long and tiring day, Jesus wants to go up to the mountain and spend some QT with his father. And so Jesus tells the disciples that he eventually will meet them on the other side of the sea of Galilee.
And so the small sail on a typical fishing boat back then would have been no use in a swirling storm. So the disciples were in this massive storm in a huge lake. They’re totally exhausted.
So these very experienced fishermen began to panic. They probably thought they were gonna drown there. And then on top of it all, they see this mysterious figure out in the distance walking on water.
But as he got closer to the boat, Jesus yells out, take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid. Jesus is teaching his disciples, revealing to them experientially through the feeding of the 5,000.
And now by saving them from the storm, his true divine identity. Friends, our faith in Jesus, that’s what connects us with the one who has the power for us to do the impossible. But it’s doubt that disconnects us from that power.
The big challenge then is keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and not being distracted by all the anxieties and temptations and preoccupations of the world. And from taking our own personal woundedness and projecting that on to God that we lose faith in him who can have us walk on water. And it’s when we begin to doubt him and when we rely on ourselves that we begin to sink.
Life can be so overwhelming at times. But Jesus is telling us today through this gospel that he knows when you’re struggling. And to have faith in him, to trust in him, to keep our eyes fixed on him, Jesus is near.
God is with us. The one who has the power over all things mysteriously reveals to us on the cross that he doesn’t take away the suffering but he enters into it with us. So God is not ignoring you.
He is with you in the most intimate ways he can be. Just a matter of whether or not we’ve let the things of this world distract us from recognizing him in the tiny whispering voice of our silent daily prayer or in the appearance of mere bread and wine on this altar. Today Jesus extends his hand to you.
Come to me you weary and heavy laden. I will give you rest. And as you approach Jesus during Holy Communion respond to him as Peter did.
Grasp his hand, cling to his whole body which he literally gives you on this altar and cry out repeatedly with Peter, don’t let me go please. I’m sorry. Don’t let me go.