1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13; Psalm 85; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:22-33
In the first reading, the prophet Elijah comes to experience the sheer grandeur of God in the most astonishing and unexpected of ways: as a tiny whispering sound. This inexpressible majesty is something of a hint of the Incarnation in which we witness God’s power through Jesus’ gentleness.
Immediately after the miracle of the loaves and fishes, Jesus sends the disciples to the other side of the lake in a boat while he first dismisses the crowds and, then, ascends the mountain alone to pray. Just as Jesus watches over the disciples and comes to their aid so, too, does He continuously rescue His Church after allowing us to wrestle with challenges and to be strengthened by the struggles.
