XIX Sunday of Ordinary Time -- Year A

First: 1 Kings 19: 9, 11-13; Second: Rom 9: 1-5; Gospel: Mt 14:

THEME of the READINGS

God reveals himself to Elijah in the soft murmur of the breeze on Mount Horeb (first reading). Jesus Christ reveals himself to the disciples as the Son of God by mastering the rough waves of the sea and with his mysterious words. "It’s me! Don’t be afraid" (Gospel). On his part, Paul is very aware that God has revealed himself to the People of Israel. "To them belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises" (Rom 9: 4). Elijah’s reaction is one of sacred fear before the presence of Yahweh. "He covered his face with his cloak" (1 Kings 19: 13). Peter’s response is one of doubt. "You have so little faith, why did you doubt?" (Mt 14: 31). The response of the group of disciples is one of faith. "Truly, you are the Son of God" (Mt 14: 33). Paul knows full well that the People of Israel have not responded to God and have not been faithful to divine Revelation. Thus he feels great sorrow and unremitting agony in his heart (second reading). God’s Revelation and man’s response – here in summary is the message of the liturgy.

DOCTRinal MESSAGE

God reveals himself to men not through concepts but by means of symbolic action or an interpersonal relationship. After Elijah flees to Mount Carmel to avoid being killed by Jezebel (1 Kings 19: 1-3), God makes him cross the land of Palestine from north to south to Mount Horeb. On the mountain, in solitude and prayer, God reveals himself to Elijah. God had revealed himself to Moses as the Lord of the powers of nature in the midst of lighting, fire, and thunder (cf. Ex 19: 16-19). Centuries later and on the same mountain, he will reveal himself to Elijah in the murmur of a soft breeze, with the softness of a mother’s kiss.

Jesus Christ spent long hours in prayer and dialogue with the Father (cf. Mt 14: 23). The disciples almost powerlessly fought the rough waves on Lake Tiberias. All of a sudden they see a human figure resembling Jesus coming towards them. They are frightened. They think they are seeing a ghost. Jesus takes advantage of this circumstance to reveal himself to them in his most intimate identity, by means of a symbolic gesture. Like Yahweh (cf. Job 9: 8; Ps 77: 20), he walks over the waves of the sea, thus showing that he is the lord of the sea and of nature. Like Yahweh (cf. Ex 3: 15), he reveals his divine name, "I am." Jesus shows his divine power, but he especially reveals his divine sonship to the disciples.

Paul reminds us of the extraordinary prerogatives of God in relation to Israel, underscoring that "To them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ" (Rom 9: 5). With the patriarchs the historic revelation of God begins. With Christ such revelation culminates and reaches its plenitude, and this mystery is fulfilled among the Chosen People. This is how God reveals himself to us as the faithful one par excellence, as the one who does not regret his choice or his promises. God’s covenant with Israel continues in spite of Israel’s infidelity. God’s Revelation is a dialogue with each person, and by its very nature requires an answer. Elijah responds with the obedience of faith (1 Kings 19: 15-18) so that belief in Yahweh would be preserved in the land. Peter responds with fear and doubt to a situation he caused, challenging the power of Jesus. The People of Israel responded by rejecting the Revelation of Jesus as Messiah and of his divine sonship. Finally, the disciples are the ones who gave the best and most exhaustive response; "Truly, you are the Son of God." 

Our response to God’s Revelation, preserved and passed on to us by the Church, must be in the words of Vatican Council II, "The obedience of faith…. By faith man freely commits his entire self to God..., willingly assenting to the Revelation given by him" (DV 5).

PASTOral SUGGESTIONS

In order to answer one’s interlocutor, one must know the content of their message or proposal. If the person of today wishes to give a responsible and mature answer to God’s Revelation, he must first of all know such a Revelation. It is rather evident that for a certain number of years there was a "doctrinal vacuum" in catechesis (perhaps still existing in some areas today). Thus the Revelation of God that the Church conveys to us is partially unknown, misknown or insufficiently known. There is a major formative task to be carried out in parishes, youth groups, and Church groups. It is a difficult but absolutely necessary task so that a strong conversion experience or moment of religious enthusiasm does not become disappointing or simply a temporary explosion of feelings. We cannot place enough emphasis on the pressing need for numerous and well formed catechists, catechists working with the faithful of all ages so that their response of faith may be genuine and mature.

It is not enough to know God’s Revelation. The experience of past centuries and of contemporary times has taught us – and this is witnessed by this Sunday’s liturgy – that by virtue of his freedom, man can give very different responses, and in fact he does. There are those whose response is one of rejection, a lack of interest, or indifference. For others there is open hostility towards the Christian message. There are those who believe but in their own way, letting themselves be guided by subjective criteria. Others do believe but their faith has "holes or leaks," and it is thus "impossible" for them to accept certain truths of the Catholic faith or morality. The real answer, the one we must seek for ourselves and for our parishioners, is the complete, sure, and responsible answer: the obedience of faith.

Source: http://www.clerus.org/clerus/dati/2004-05/21-13/CICLOA.html by P. ANTONIO IZQUIERDO L.C. (1948-2013)

[참고: 이 파일은 저서명 "가톨릭 교회의 말씀 전례에 따른 성경공부 해설서"(엮은이: 소순태, 출판사: 가톨릭출판사)의 각주의 연장으로 마련되었습니다].