As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were overwhelmed with grief.
When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes,” he said. When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?” When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt. But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
***
***
There’s an old Swedish proverb, “Those who wish to sing always find a song.”
In good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, those who wish to sing always find a song.
***
Today is the Feast of Saint Maximillian Kolbe, priest and martyr.
You may remember his story. Maximillian was one of the millions of prisoners sent to Auschwitz, the most infamous death camp in history.
One day while working in the camp, another prisoner tried to escape. Furious over the attempt, the camp guards selected ten other men to be put to death in his place.
One of the men selected pleaded for mercy, telling the guards that he was a father and a husband.
Then Saint Maximillian stepped forward and said, “I am a Catholic priest. Let me take his place.”
***
Maximillian and the other nine men were thrown into a hole, condemned to death by starvation.
He led those men in prayer for nearly two weeks. Personal accounts recalled how their singing could be heard rising out of the ground at all hours of the day, making it sound like a church choir buried in Auschwitz.
The hope was contagious.
“Those who wish to sing always find a song.”
***
No matter where we find ourselves today – in good times or in bad, in sickness or in health, on a mountaintop or in the belly of the earth – we all have a reason to sing.
Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead, promising that we, too, shall rise.
After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
***
***
I experienced one of the most terrifying moments of my life while attending World Youth Day last Sunday in Lisbon.
As Pope Francis finished celebrating Mass, he gave us his final blessing. “Go forth,” he said. His words were meant in a figurative way to be a commissioning – “Go forth” and make disciples.
Return to your home, to your workplace, to your school and share this experience with others. Tell them about Jesus, about your experience of the universal Church – that it is filled with hope, tell them about the renewal of your faith. Invite others to, “Come and see.”
But for us, “Go forth” also meant, in a literal way, “Depart from this place. Return to your bus.” After sleeping outside under the stars the night before, and celebrating Mass that morning, it was time to pack up and head out.
Suddenly, I realized our group of 43 pilgrims had a harrowing journey ahead.
***
It was already 96 degrees. The sun was rising. The day was only getting hotter. Our bus was six-miles away. We needed to move quickly. But 1.5 million other people were thinking the same thing.
I remember the bottleneck at the bridge – our only exit. We were literally clinging to the backpack of the person in front of us as we passed by people fainting from panic and heat exhaustion. Fortunately, medics were there to care for them.
Two hours later – exhausted and grateful – we reached our bus.
That experience of being fearfully scrunched like sardines in a can made me think of the disciples in today’s Gospel.
***
They’re terrified. As the Gospel says, they’re literally being “tortured” by the waves.
This is the first time they are without Jesus. And what happens? Disaster strikes! A storm forms around them that is so strong, these professional fishermen fear they are drowning. Meanwhile, the Lord is praying by himself safely on solid ground.
Jesus later approaches them by walking on the water, but the disciples mistake him for a ghost, making them even more fearful.
“Take courage, it is I,” he says, “Do not be afraid.”
Before calming the storm, Jesus invites Peter to overcome the fear that’s seized him by stepping out of the boat and onto the water.
Often, we fault Peter for sinking. But after all he’s endured, imagine the courage it took for him to do what no other human being had done before.
The Gospel does not tell us how far Peter went; only that, “he began to walk on the water towards Jesus.”
Suddenly, the power dynamics have shifted. Peter’s fear gives way to faith, allowing him to do the impossible.
***
That is what Pope Francis asked of our young people – and by extension all of us – to shift the power dynamics; to replace our fear with faith; to dream big; in a sense, to walk on water.
Yes, when Peter took his eyes off of Christ and saw how strong the wind and waves were, he sank.
But for a moment he conquered his fear. I’m sure years later, he still revisited that night in prayer, reminding himself, as Saint Paul says, that, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
It’s a matter of keeping our eyes fixed – not on the wind and waves – but on Jesus.
***
Where in my own life do I need Peter’s courage? Where do I need to learn how to walk on water … or, in some cases, to walk on water again?
***
While we may never find ourselves caught in storm at sea or scrunched in a bottleneck on a bridge, there are moments when we will all feel afraid – as if we’re stuck, pressured, unable to move.
But the Lord says to us the same thing he said to Peter, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Step out of the boat. Shift the power dynamics. Replace your fear with faith. Even if you lose your focus and begin to sink, the Lord will be there to raise you up again.
***
***
Image credits: (1) The Meeting Tent (2) Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt (3) Meridian Magazine
Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay each according to his conduct. Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
***
***
Who do you know more about, Saint Francis of Assisi or Saint Clare?
***
Most of us would probably say, “Saint Francis of Assisi.”
He was a lover of animals; he started the Franciscans; he was an itinerant preacher; he lived in Italy; and he wrote that fabulous prayer, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.”
***
But what about Saint Clare? Who was she?
Both Francis and Clare were born into wealthy Italian families. Both jettisoned their fortunes to follow the Lord. Both are considered Saints. They were also best friends.
Clare was drawn to Francis’ deep spirit and jovial nature. In fact, they became so close that Clare founded a second order of the Franciscans, the Poor Clares.
To this day, both religious orders remain active around the world, some 800 years after their founding.
But what draws me to Saint Clare is the fact that, unlike Francis, she’s largely forgotten.
Although they were very close friends; although they both helped rebuild and reform the Church; although they both made incredible sacrifices to follow the Lord, Francis receives most of the recognition.
And for Clare, that was okay. She didn’t need the spotlight; so long as God was glorified.
***
Claire reminds us that every Christian should seek to build the Kingdom of God in two ways, through humility and friendship.
Find people who bring out the best in us, who challenge us to become better, more humble servants, who sanctify our spirit much like Francis did for Clare.
Do I have such a friend? And, more importantly, can I be such a friend?
