Readings: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13; Psalm 85; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:22-33
Grace and peace, dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
Today is the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A. Today, I would like to reflect briefly on each of the three readings because each of them contains important lessons for our Christian journey.
In the First Reading, Elijah has reached one of the lowest moments of his life. He has just experienced a great victory over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, yet instead of celebration, he finds himself running for his life. Queen Jezebel wants him dead. Discouraged, exhausted and afraid, Elijah flees into the wilderness. Eventually, God leads him to Mount Horeb, the very mountain where Moses encountered the Lord.
There, Elijah expects God to appear in spectacular ways. A mighty wind tears through the mountains, but the Lord is not in the wind. An earthquake follows, but the Lord is not in the earthquake. Then comes a fire, but the Lord is not in the fire. Finally, there comes the sound of a gentle breeze, or, as some translations beautifully put it, “a still small voice,” and Elijah recognises that the Lord is present.
Two things I would like to draw from this reading.
First, sometimes God does not act in the way we expect. We become disappointed because we have already decided how God should answer our prayers. We expect Him to act or move in a particular way, at a particular time and according to our own plans. But God is God. He is absolutely free. His wisdom is beyond ours, and He always does what is best, even when it is different from what we anticipated.
Secondly, God often speaks in silence. Those who value silence are better able to hear Him. Many people say that God does not speak to them, whereas the real problem is not that God is silent; the problem is that our lives are often too noisy to hear Him. If we want to hear God’s voice, we must intentionally create moments of silence before Him.
The Second Reading presents us with another remarkable lesson. St Paul shares that he has “great sorrow and unceasing anguish” because many of his fellow Jews have not accepted Christ. He even says something extraordinary: that he could wish himself accursed if, somehow, it would bring his people to salvation.
Of course, Paul knows that he cannot take Christ’s place or save others by his own sacrifice. Rather, he is expressing the depth of his love and concern for their eternal destiny.
This reading challenges us. How concerned are we about the salvation of those around us? We often worry about people’s careers, health, finances and success, and rightly so. But do we pray for the conversion of our children, our spouses, our friends and those who have drifted away from the faith? Do we make sacrifices for their salvation? Do we invite them back to the Church? If we truly believe in heaven and eternal life, then there can be no greater act of love than helping another person come to know Christ.
At the same time, we must remember that there is a limit to what we can do. Our responsibility is to pray, to witness and to invite. We cannot force conversion. In the end, salvation is God’s work. He alone touches hearts and draws people to Himself.
Let us now turn to the Gospel.
The disciples are in a boat battling a violent storm while Jesus is alone in prayer. During the fourth watch of the night, between three and six in the morning, Jesus comes to them walking on the water. Instead of recognising Him, they are terrified and think He is a ghost.
How often the Lord comes to us in the storms of life, yet we fail to recognise Him. Sometimes He comes to us in the middle of our storms, in an unexpected change, a difficult person, or even a painful experience that He intends to use for our good. We pray today for the grace to recognise Jesus, especially when He comes in unexpected ways.
Then Jesus speaks those beautiful words: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter immediately responds, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
Notice something very important. Peter did not jump out of the boat on his own initiative. He waited for the invitation. Only after Jesus said, “Come,” did Peter step out.
There is a beautiful lesson here.
Some people jump into decisions without seeking God’s will, permission or direction. They enter relationships, careers, businesses, ministries and major life decisions simply because they look attractive or promising. Peter teaches us a great lesson: do not step out unless Jesus calls. Before making important decisions, we must first pray, discern and seek the Lord’s direction.
But there is another lesson I would like us to reflect on.
Once Jesus called Peter, he did not remain in the boat making excuses. He did not say, “Lord, the waves are too high,” or “Perhaps another time.” He obeyed immediately.
Perhaps one of the greatest obstacles to God’s work in our lives is our lack of courage. God is calling some of us to step out of the boat and do great things for His Kingdom, but fear keeps us where we are. We want certainty before obedience. We want to see the whole journey before taking the first step. We feel inadequate, unqualified or too weak. Yet we discover in the Bible, God doesn’t always call the qualified; He qualifies those whom He calls.
Some are being called to serve in the Church but are holding back because they feel inadequate.
Some are being called to marriage, to priesthood or to religious life, but fear is preventing them from responding.
Some are being called to begin a new mission, to reconcile with a family member, to forgive someone who has hurt them, to speak about Christ, or simply to take a step of faith, yet they remain in the boat because the familiar feels safer.
Peter walked on water not because he had extraordinary ability but because he was obedient to an extraordinary Lord. He trusted Jesus enough to take the risk.
Perhaps Jesus is saying to someone here today exactly what He said to Peter: “Come.” Come out of your fear, come out of your comfort zone, come out of your excuses, step out in trust and obey Me.
The safest place is not always in the boat or where the waters are calm; the safest place is where Jesus calls us to come. He who calls you will never abandon you. His eyes remain fixed on you, His grace will sustain you, and if, like Peter, you begin to sink, His hand is always stretched out to lift you up.
May we learn to recognise God’s gentle voice in the silence, share St. Paul’s burning desire for the salvation of souls, and have Peter’s courage to step out in obedience whenever Christ says to us, “Come.”
Amen.
Sermon preached by Fr Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on August 9, 2026.