10th August 2008
During the week I took a walk with a friend on Dun Laoghaire Pier. The walk way marks the divide between the open sea and the tranquil harbour. It was very evident that day how different those waters are. The open sea was wild and foamy, the harbour as still as glass. There were a few yachts out on the sea being buffeted by the waves and at times seaming to flounder. That morning as is my custom I read the gospel that I would have to say a few words on the following Sunday and the whole scene made great sense.
The Disciples were no doubt experienced fishermen and were afraid at the storm that engulfed them and then in the fourth watch of the night Jesus walks towards them. Peter is so captivated by the Lord that he wants to go out to him and Jesus says 'come'. Peter is fine as long as he keeps his eyes on Jesus, but as soon as he looks down he begins to drown and needs Jesus to come and lift him up and save him. At that he chides Peter for his lack of faith and at the same time awakens in the others the true nature of who he really was, not just the son of a Carpenter, but the Son of God.
The boat is seen as a symbol of the Church as she travels through time, often buffeted about by the powers of this world. At times many people think she will sink and yet she endures and waits for the Lord to come at the end of time and steer her to the gates of heaven. The boat can also stand for each one of us and our faith life. Sometimes we too can enter into unfriendly waters of doubt and perhaps even despair. We can at times allow ourselves to be influenced by the wrong people, to accept things that deep down we believe can never be justified in the name of tolerance or pluralism. Just think about the whole issue of Abortion and how those who disagree with it are presented. The Pope recently in Sydney posed the following question to nearly 300,000 young people 'How can it be that the most wondrous and sacred human space - the womb - has become a place of unutterable violence?
The question the Scriptures leave us with today is who do we really say that Jesus is? Is he a mere hero from the past, a healer who preached a gospel of tolerance? Or is he as the men in the boat exclaimed 'truly, the Son of God? And if he is the Son of God how best can we live in imitation of him and in fidelity to the Church he founded? Amen.
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Homilies Archive
2009 HOMILIES
25th December 2008
Christmas
21st December 2008
14th December 2008
8th December 2008
Immaculate Conception
7th December 2008
2nd Sunday of Advent
30th November 2008
1st Sunday of Advent
23rd November 2008
Christ the King
16th November 2008
2nd November 2008
All Souls
1st November 2008
All Saints
26th October 2008
12th October 2008
5th October 2008
28th September 2008
21st September 2008
14th September 2008
7th September 2008
31st August 2008
24th August 2008
17th August 2008
15th August 2008
Assumption
10th August 2008
3rd August 2008
20th July 2008
13th July 2008
29th June 2008
22nd June 2008
1st June 2008
23rd March 2008
Easter Sunday
22nd March 2008
Easter Vigil
2nd March 2008
24th February 2008
17th February 2008
10th February 2008
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