19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A By Tobe Eze

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

FIRST READING
1 Kings 19:9a, 11—13a

SECOND READING
Romans 9:1—5

GOSPEL
Matthew 14:22—33

OUR GOD IS A GENTLE GOD.

I was watching a show on the television, at a point, the minister or pastor or whatever he maybe called told the people that they should pray for God's earthquake to come. He said that if the earthquake does not come, no miracle will take place. Another said that before miracle will happen, the Lord’s hurricane must come and many other instances.

In the first reading, Elijah was waiting for the Lord on the mountain. Many noisy things came but God was not in any of them until the last little voice. God’s miracles and blessings are not necessarily to come through noisy environments. They come also in a very cool place and in a tiny voice. These days’ preachers should so that whether you like it or not you must here it. I went to Ogbete market in Enugu one day and I saw a group of people on awareness rally about a crusade they were organizing and they were sing around the market. You must be born again! You must be born again!

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In the second reading, St. Paul said he will not tell lies about our Lord Jesus Christ. Invariably he was keeping the second commandment. He was not calling, using and taking the name of God in vain. It is never wise to say that the Lord has revealed something to you just that an idea touched your mind. Some after a night dream will come out to tell so many lies that the Lord has revealed what will come to pass to them through dream. You are joking or playing with people’s psychology in the name of God.

In the Gospel, some verses before today’s gospel. Jesus made the people to sit down and they were quiet before he fed them. Today, after sending them away so that everywhere will be calm again, set out to perform another quiet miracle. After the wind and storm that his apostles experienced, he came when everywhere were calm. He did not come to his apostles when all those noisy things were happening. When he was with his apostles in the boat and storm came, he calmed it down. He does things in a calm way (Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41).

Our God is not a God who must work or do miracle with noise. He is also a calm God. The three readings of today can testify that. Elijah like some of us today thought that this mighty God must come through mighty things but each time he raised his head he saw that God was not in that noisy things. He latter realized the perfect place God is and accepted it. Some of have known the truth but we like noise more than any other good thing on earth. We know where God is but we do not want to accept it like Elijah, we move around where there is noise. In every Catholic chapel, there is always a written thing asking people to be silent. That atmosphere in the chapel is the best atmosphere where we can experience God. Have we ever asked ourselves the reason why God were meeting his people or those who obeyed him in the old on the mountain? It was because of his calm nature and for them to get the message very distinct. Have we also ever asked ourselves why Jesus always withdraw to the mountain to pray? Also for the sake of silence. It is in a very quiet place that we can hear God very well in our lives.

In line with St. Paul, why should people tell lies in the name of God? On November 12^th 2017, it was on Sunday. I went to visit a family at Abakpa in Enugu. Their house was very close to a Protestant church, when I was about entering their gate, I heard the pastor shouting on top his voice that the Lord ministered to him that every member of his Church must have a house. I just asked myself, does it mean that there is no person there who is jobless? Why should we lie with God’s name just to fill our pockets? A female friend told me that her father went to adoration with his car and came home with legs. When asked why? He said, Fada asked us to off a big thing we have and God will double it for us. He checked that his car was the biggest thing he had and he offered it. From then till now, no show and this is the twenty-seventh year. Deception to the highest order.

 Jesus does not bless us with punishment. It is not only when we shout down heaven that he will answer us, it is not only when we stop sleeping, drinking, eating, resting that he will answer us. He is a gentle God and he does things in a gentle way. He does not believe much on noise rather a humbled contrite heart. Let us imitate Christ in his gentle way as St. Paul urges us to imitate him as he imitates Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1 and 1 Corinthians 4:16). I am meek and humble of heart. Let us be also humble and meek as he is (Matthew 11:29. THANKS AND HAPPY SUNDAY.