19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Cycle
A
August
13, 2017
4:00
pm and 8:00 am at Saint Mary Parish, Pylesville
11:00
am at Saint Matthew Parish, Baltimore
Physical Balance
This
past Monday, I participated in a strength and balance class at a fitness
center.
This
particular class is designed especially for seniors. So, I qualify!
One of
the balance exercises was to stand on one foot.
We were to concentrate on placing all of our weight on one foot – let’s
say my left foot.
Then we
were slowly to raise the right foot about six inches off of the floor, touching
the side of our left leg. We were to try
to stand that way, with all weight on one foot for about ten seconds.
But, to
succeed in doing this, the trainer advised us not to look at ourselves or others
in the mirror or at anything in motion.
Instead, we were to keep our eyes focused on a fixed, still point on the
floor.
And
doing that, at least for me, was important.
Keeping my eyes focused on that fixed, still point helped me to maintain
my balance standing on one foot.
Peter’s Balance in the Storm
Well, I
am not here today to lead us in exercises for physical balance.
But, I
am suggesting that the trainer’s guidance to keep our eyes focused on a fixed,
still point is also excellent spiritual guidance. Look what happens to Peter in today’s gospel.
Peter
steps out of the boat to walk onto the water.
At first his eyes are on Jesus and he is okay.
But
then, Peter takes his eyes off of Jesus and gets focused on the wind and the
waves. He gets focused on the storm and
quickly starts to sink.
The crucial
point here is that when Peter keeps his eyes fixed on Jesus, he keeps his balance
and is dealing fine with the storm. But
when he takes his eyes off of Jesus, he’s in trouble.
Our Storms
I believe that
there are storms in all of our lives – no exceptions!
For me, the one I
remember very well is when I was thirty years-old. I had been a priest for four years and seemed
to be doing pretty well.
But all of a
sudden, I began seriously questioning my vocation. Eventually things got sorted out and resolved,
but wow, that was quite a storm for me for the better part of a year.
There are lots of
other possible storms. A doctor’s report
that we have cancer, a heart attack, the death of your husband or wife or child
or parent, an addiction to alcohol or drugs or gambling, the loss of a job, the
break-up of a marriage, and on it goes.
Our Balance in Storms
I believe that
keeping our eyes focused on Jesus in these storms is crucial.
It’s something
like what the trainer told us to do to keep our physical balance. It’s what Peter needed to do when he stepped
out of the boat into the stormy water.
We need to keep
our eyes on Jesus as our fixed or stillpoint.
He will help us to keep our spiritual balance and get through the
storms.
Practically
speaking, I offer one recommendation. At
the beginning of each day, pray. It can
be your own prayer, right from your heart.
It can be a prayer
you have learned. It can be a prayer in
a prayerbook.
It can be one of
the psalms or a short passage from one of the gospels. It doesn’t have to be long – maybe five
minutes or even less.
But every day – no
exceptions – pray in the morning. And
then, from that prayer, take one word or a phrase that you can repeat throughout
the day.
For example: “Jesus, be with me.” Or, “God
of love.” Or, “Emmanuel” or what that word means: “God is with us.” Or, “Do not be afraid.”
They are just
examples. The idea is to pick a word or
phrase, and then, repeat it throughout the day – wherever you are, whatever you
are doing.
It is a good way
to keep our eyes on Jesus as the fixed or stillpoint of our lives. It is a good way to keep our balance and get
through the storms of life.
