💖 HOMILY - AUGUST 5 💖

First Reading - Numbers 12:1-13 

Gospel - Matthew 14:22-36

Today’s readings speak to us of two deep human struggles—jealousy and fear—and how God responds to both with mercy, power, and a call to deeper trust. Whether in the wilderness with Moses or on the stormy sea with the disciples, God reveals Himself as the One who sees our weakness, who listens to our cry, and who saves with compassion.

In the first reading, we encounter Miriam and Aaron speaking out against Moses. Their words are driven by jealousy—“Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” They are not questioning Moses’ leadership out of concern, but from pride. God, however, reminds them that Moses has a unique role, one marked not by status but by intimacy: “With him I speak face to face.” But when Miriam is struck with leprosy, Moses doesn’t lash out. Instead, he responds with a humble and urgent plea: “O God, please heal her!” In this moment, we see Moses not only as a leader but as an intercessor—a man who loves even those who wrong him.

In the Gospel, the disciples are caught in a storm at sea. They are not complaining, but they are afraid. Jesus comes to them, walking on the water, but their fear blinds them from recognizing Him. “It is a ghost!” they cry. Yet Jesus speaks the words they—and we—most need to hear: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter, bold yet uncertain, steps out onto the water. For a moment, he walks toward Jesus. But when he looks at the wind, he begins to sink. Even then, Jesus reaches out and saves him.

Dear friends, we are all vulnerable—to jealousy, to fear, to doubt—and that God does not abandon us in those moments. Miriam is healed. Peter is lifted. God does not demand perfection; He asks for faith—a faith that can be as simple as calling out, “Lord, save me.”

Jesus does not calm the storm before approaching the disciples. He comes to them in the middle of it. And this is often how He comes to us—not waiting until our hearts are still, but meeting us right in the turmoil. He invites us to trust, to step out of our comfort, and to fix our eyes on Him rather than on the winds that threaten us.

We are not told these stories to admire the characters, but to recognize ourselves in them. Like Miriam and Aaron, we can struggle with envy. Like Peter, we can be brave one moment and sinking the next. But like Moses, we are invited to intercede, and like Peter, we are invited to call on Jesus, knowing He will reach out His hand.

Let us ask the Lord today for a faith that overcomes pride and fear, a heart that prays for others even when they fail us, and eyes that stay fixed on Christ, especially when the wind rises.