The Sound of a Whisper: Reflections on the Readings for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

If you haven’t already read the readings you can find them here.

1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a
Psalm 85
 Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:22-33

“Whoever has ears ought to hear.” (Matthew 11:15) Sometimes this is easier said than done. Just having ears is not enough. It requires actively listening. We hear all sorts of stuff every day and we ignore a lot of it. But hearing what God has to say requires effort. And then, once we hear it, we have to process it. We can’t let the words go in one ear and out the other, although that is often what we do, even when things are plainly said.

In the first reading Elijah is on the run. To understand this we have to read earlier in the first book of Kings. Elijah had just humiliated the false prophets called by king Ahab and was being sought by Ahab and Jezebel who were after his life. Having been fortified by angelic help, Elijah is at Mount Horeb waiting to meet the Lord. He has been told the Lord will be passing by. In the process powerful forces of nature rend the mountain; a strong wind, an earthquake, and even a fire. But the Lord was in none of these. Instead, “After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.  When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.”

The Lord gives Elijah an assignment to anoint several kings and also that Elisha will be appointed prophet in his place. If Elijah hadn’t been actively listening or had been distracted by the earthquake, the wind, and the fire, he would have missed God’s message.  When I was part of an RCIA (now OCIA) team, one of the candidates asked us how we could know when God is speaking to us. In the strange way the Holy Spirit works, I had just been the lector reading this passage a week or two before. I used it to show the necessity to look for God’s word and listen attentively as, despite what some other religions believe, God does not always speak in a loud voice. If we listen carefully, ignore the distractions, exercise careful discernment, and pray on what is happening, we can get God’s message. How often are we distracted to the point that we miss what God is trying to tell us?

The responsorial gives us some insight into this. “I will hear what God proclaims.” And the way we understand what God is saying gives peace. It is characterized by kindness and truth, justice and peace. And, in this vein, we ask the Lord to show us His kindness and to grant us salvation.

In the selection for the second reading from Romans, St. Paul’s words sound like a lament. Paul is a Jew, despite having been dramatically called by Christ to be His apostle. And he is expressing sorrow that the Jews, his people do not seem to be hearing his message, and so he (almost) wishes to be cut off from Christ for their sake. The Jews were the chosen people and so they had the “right of first refusal,” and they seemed to be exercising it. This becomes more obvious in the next chapter of Romans (Romans 10). Thus Paul’s main successes were with the Gentiles, and he became known as the apostle to the Gentiles.

The gospel selection continues the story we heard last week. After Jesus feeds the multitude he sends the apostles ahead of Him. They are crossing the water when He approaches in the middle of the night. There are several significant points about this incident. The first, to me, is wondering, since the feeding of the five thousand is in all four gospels, and this incident followed immediately after, why is it absent from St. Luke’s gospel?

Next, when the apostles see Jesus walking toward them on the water, they are afraid and He tells them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Both the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE, from which our readings are taken) and the Revised Standard Version, 2nd Catholic Edition (RSV-2CE, which is the translation used by the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible – ICSB) note that the literal translation of what Jesus says is “’I am.’ This may reflect the divine revelatory formula of Ex 3:14; Is 41:4, 10, 14; 43:1-3, 10, 13.” (Relating to Moses and the burning bush, being sent to lead the Exodus.)

Everyone focuses on what follows with Peter asking Jesus to call him to Him, and Peter, stepping out of the boat, begins to walk on the water toward Jesus. However, as we discussed above Peter is distracted from Jesus. “But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” Then Jesus laments the lack of faith in Peter (and, by extension the other apostles). The significance of this episode is not just the importance of faith but also in keeping our eye on Jesus. We live in a world of distractions, and it is important for us to see through them. When we are distracted, we sink into the mire. The way out is, as Peter shows us, to call on Jesus.

As this gospel reading comes right after the feeding of the five thousand, many think that that miracle was indicative of Jesus’ divinity. However, this is not the case. Several prophets in the Old Testament had multiplied food or had extended its presence in order to feed others (e.g., Elijah, 1 Kings 17:13-16; Elisha, 2 Kings 4:42).

The real indication of Jesus’ divinity happens after the incident with Peter. “After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’” Why did they say this? They were probably familiar with Psalm 107. Jesus’ power over the wind and the seas (see Psalm 107:23-29, also Psalm 89:9, Job 9:8), is a power attributable only to God.

There are some who say that Jesus never identified Himself as God, despite His repeated declarations like, “The Father and I are one.” (John 10:30) Today’s gospel is an example of Jesus’ demonstrating His divinity just by His actions. As Brant Pitre notes, “Jesus did claim to be God—but in a very Jewish way.” (The Case for Jesus: The Biblical and Historical Evidence for Christ) Similarly, Thomas a Kempis, in Imitation of Christ, notes, “God speaks to us in many ways without regard for persons.”

God is speaking to you today, not just in today’s readings but in many ways. I know, because He speaks to me almost every time I go to Adoration. I don’t hear words or a voice, but there are more ways to communicate other than speaking words. However, it does require an open mind and an open heart. Just like in the first reading, it’s not always the “voice” you expect, nor the loudest, but the one which you need to hear. Are you listening?