Chapter Chaplain's Homily Reflection - CALL OUT TO GOD AND FEAR NOT

CALL OUT TO GOD AND FEAR NOT
The readings this weekend present us with the ever-present presence of God and man’s struggles to perceive it when faced with difficult times. These readings feature three men who are weighed down with concerns because of their difficult experiences. In the first reading, Elijah experienced depression because his miraculous deed to protect his people's faith backfired. He became scared by the threats of the wicked Queen Jezebel and fled for his life. In the second reading, the Israelites' refusal to accept salvation in Christ led Paul to frustration and grief. In the Gospel, the disciples rowed off into the chaos of a storm on the lake. They became devastated and feared for their lives when their struggle to reach a place of safety failed.
What is at stake in these challenges is not necessarily the magnitude of their experiences but how each one responded to them. This is important because our strength during difficult times is measured not by how much we suffer, but by how we respond to our suffering. While Elijah responded with fear, Paul responded with frustration and grief. The disciples also responded with fear. Even Peter, who later made a leap of faith, allowed fear to overtake him.
Where did these three men go wrong? Elijah's mistake came when he forgot the God who sent fire from heaven and focused instead on the queen who sent a death threat. He carried unrealistic expectations and misunderstood how God works. In Paul we see gift-consciousness, which made him think he could change the world overnight. God gave him ability to make converts, but he failed to realize it was not his power but God’s favor. He trusted too much in his own gifts. And when their expectations failed, fear set in. In Peter, we see ambition and acting without thinking. In this context, he acted on impulse and emotional fervor without counting the cost.
As we can see, these life experiences help to teach us that life is full of adventures, accidents, and harsh experiences. The world is not a safe place. As such, our lives are always in danger - terrorist attacks, tornadoes, earthquakes, political upheavals, hunger, and death, to mention but a few. These experiences do not just come our way because we are saints or sinners but because we are living in the world. So, while here on earth, we are paddled on every side by forces hostile to the kingdom. Though by our nature, we do not like harsh conditions, we are always looking for a better life.
The question now is, how should we respond to difficult times without giving in to fear? The way out is to fight fear with faith and truth. In the face of our struggles with fear, faith can help steady us and enable us to walk through raging waters. This is what Peter did in the moment of his failure: though shaking with fear, he clutched at Jesus and held him firmly. What is required is trust in his foreknowledge that “the hairs of your head are all numbered, fear not” (Lk 12:7).
The good news is that every one of them found help the moment they called out to God. The irresistible truth is that our being in this world is like walking on the waters of success and/or adversity, and the only way out is to realize that Jesus is always with us and call out to him. God never abandons the cries of his children who sincerely call upon him. Our problem is that at times we get consumed by wonder and surprise at our experiences and fail to cry out as Peter did.
So, in these unique readings about Elijah, Paul and Peter, the Church wants us to realize that no one is self-sufficient. No matter how smart, strong, gifted, or experienced we may be, every one of us reaches moments when fear rises, strength fails, and the waves of life begin to swallow us. Even when we are convinced that God is leading us and we are doing His will, we must never imagine that we can walk on water by ourselves. Therefore, let us leave this Mass today renewed in our desire to be God’s faithful people who depend and keep their eyes fixed on Jesus. He alone is our life. He alone is our hope. He alone is our strength. He alone is our salvation. And as long as our gaze remains on Him, no storm can ever overcome us.

Chaplain 

Arrowhead Desert Valley Chapter