9 Aug 2020. Cycle A. 19th Sunday OT. 1Kgs 19:9a, 11a-13a + Rom 9:1-5 + Mt 14:22-33

But when he saw how strong the winds was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “LORD, save me!” … 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” (Mt 14:30-33).

“When You Are Down to Nothing, God is Up to Something.” This is the title of a 2012 book by televangelist Robert Anthony Schuller , the son of the Crystal Cathedral founder.

I have not read his book, but the author need not even have to write a subtitle to explain it, nor even have to write the book at all. The title, by itself, already speaks it out. It is just like “fill in the book.”

In the New Testament, Jesus grabbed every crisis to be an opportunity to teach, or an opportunity to assure the frightened, “I am the Son of God. I am in control.”

Maybe even the storm and the big waves He stirred those himself. The Master of Creation slept soundly as the storm smashed. “LORD, save us! We are perishing!”

The Resurrection and the Life tarried until his close friend died … “I am glad for you that I was not there… This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God… that you may believe.” (Mt 8:23-27; Jn 11:1-44).

When we are down to nothing, let us cheer up. God is using our crisis as an opportunity to teach a lesson… for you, for us, or for others.

In our fight against wickedness, when the harder we try, the more we fail; and the more we parry, the more we are pummeled, let us praise God just the same. Imitating what Jesus did, let us rally every issue to be an opportunity to teach others. At least, as an opportunity to learn for ourselves. VSS

Picture credit: Jesus Pulls Peter Out. Bing Image from Medium.com