AMID THE STORM
INTRODUCTORY RITES
Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...).
We are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.
Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.
You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:
The Sign of the Cross
Greeting and Introductory Words
L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.
A: Blessed be God forever.
L: We come to this celebration with our burdens, with the storms of our lives, with the problems of our little worlds and of our world. The Lord assures us that he is with us. He invites us to trust in him, and to ride the stormy waves of our lives.
Let us pray that we may be aware of his comforting presence.
Penitential Rite
L: For the times we have allowed the storms to overwhelm us, for not believing in God’s abiding presence, we ask the Lord to forgive us.
Pause
L: Lord Jesus, you went up on the mountain by yourself to pray:
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you reassure us “It is I; do not be afraid”:
Christ, have mercy.
A: Christ, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you bid us come to you through the storm:
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.
L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.
Gloria
Opening Prayer
L: God of all power,
when we and our world are in danger,
make firm our trust;
when we falter,
steady us and our faith.
May we always experience your presence
and your saving power.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
A: Amen.
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
Readings
The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.
Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.
Reading 1 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a
Psalm Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14
Response Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Reading 2 Romans 9:1-5
Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia.
I wait for the Lord;
my soul waits for his word.
Gospel Matthew 14:22-33
Reflection on the Readings
Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.
Lectio Divina
Imagine you are in the boat with the disciples. The boat is being tossed by the waves and water is entering it. What are you feeling?
When you think it cannot get any worse, you see this ghost-like figure walking on the sea! What do you feel now?
Then you hear a familiar voice speak: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” What do you want to do?
Stay with your feelings and listen to him.
Sunday Snippets
We are amid one of the greatest storms of our lives – the coronavirus is still around with new variants; inflation and unemployment; natural disasters and violent conflict in several parts of the world; growing hatred and intolerance. Many of us are overwhelmed.
The readings of today feature people who are overwhelmed by events in their lives. Amid chaos, they experience God’s abiding presence.
The first reading features Elijah who had to flee into the desert to escape the wrath of Jezebel. There he encounters an angel who comforted him and gave him food. On the strength of that encounter, he journeyed forty days to Horeb, where he faces more chaos: a strong wind, an earthquake, a fire. Then he experiences the presence of God in “a tiny whispering sound”. Elijah’s flight to Mount Horeb ends with an encounter with God.
Paul (second reading) is overwhelmed with sorrow that his fellow Jews had not accepted Christ. His faith is steadied by recalling God’s irrevocable gifts to Israel.
The gospel features the disciples caught in a terrible storm which swamps their boat. When they are in disarray, there is more chaos and fear—for they think they see a ghost. It is Jesus who reassures them: “It is I (literally I am); do not be afraid.” These words would have evoked memories of Yahweh’s revelation to Moses (Exodus 3:14). The disciples’ crossing to the other side, interrupted by a destructive storm, ends with an encounter with God.
When destructive forces assail me, let me walk on like Elijah; when the storms of life engulf me, let me keep battling them like the disciples. The Lord is with me to sustain me. And at some point, perhaps when I reaches the “depths”, I will encounter him. I will hear those reassuring words: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” May the storms of my life cease with an encounter with God. Then, like Elijah and Peter, may I walk on.
Questions to Ponder
Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:
Reading 1: We tend to look for God in the dramatic! Do I ever take time to listen for the “tiny whispering sound”?
Reading 2: Paul is in “great sorrow and constant anguish” because some of his people have not accepted Jesus. What do I feel/do when my loved ones reject beliefs that are important to me?
Gospel: How is living with a natural disaster/ national insecurity/ environmental crisis like the storm which engulfed the disciples? What would have helped Peter keep walking: ignore the wind; keep his eyes on Jesus; something else? What might help me now?
The Creed
Prayer of the Faithful
L: Sisters and brothers, with deep faith, we bring our concerns to God who is ever-present with his people, as we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.
R: For the Church: that we may recognize God’s presence in the extraordinary and ordinary events of our lives, we pray…
R: For world leaders: that they may respect their opponents, express their concerns thoughtfully, and work for the common good, we pray…
R: For those affected by natural disasters: that God may give them courage, ease their pain, and touch the hearts of many to assist them, we pray…
R: For all who struggle with doubt and uncertainty: that they may find a path for growth and deeper faith, we pray…
R: For those facing crises: that they may hear Christ’s invitation to step forward in faith and find healing and renewal as they take the hand of Christ, we pray…
R: For ourselves: that we may hear the voice of the Lord calling us to “not be afraid” and turn to him in every circumstance that is beyond our control, we pray…
L: Gracious Lord, we believe that you are with us through the storms and chaos of our lives and speak to us in tiny whispering sounds. May we heed your voice telling us to have courage and to not be afraid. Through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
The Lord’s Prayer
Spiritual Communion
A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.
Post Spiritual Communion Reflection
Lord,
you “made the disciples get into a boat”
and precede you “to the other side.”
You sent them ahead
because you still needed to be alone
to grieve over John’s death, which you had not yet gotten to do.
May I learn from you
to get my alone time when I need it.
Lord,
there are times when I am overwhelmed;
the storms and upheavals are too much for me.
I need help. And I need it now!
May I see you walk towards me;
may I hear you assure me “It is I, do not be afraid”;
may I find you in the “tiny whispering sound”.
And when I walk on stormy waters,
may I never look down,
but keep my eyes fixed on you—always.
Stretch out you hand and hold me.
CONCLUDING RITE
Concluding Prayer
L: Lord God, Father of all,
you invite us through Jesus, your Son,
to leave our timid security
and to come across the water with him
to commit ourselves to you and to others.
Even though we may not see his hand
reaching out to us and holding us,
give us enough trusting faith to be certain
that with him we shall overcome.
Through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.
Blessing
L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.
L: Go in the peace of Christ.
A: Thanks be to God.
Conclude with a hymn. For instance:
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