THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Fourth Sunday after Epiphany 29 January 2012

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends, 

In these days we find ourselves spiritually tossed about in the waves of error and evil. It often appears as if everything will be destroyed in this spiritual tempest. It also sometimes appears that God is asleep or is unconcerned with our safety.

It is truly time for us to call out to God as the Apostles have done in today’s Gospel. Though Christ chides the Apostles for their lack of faith, He is also very much pleased to answer their prayers and build up that which is lacking in their faith with a miracle.

The storm was not only known to Christ but was also created by Him. It was Christ as God who sent that storm and arranged everything so that it should happen just as it did. The storm did not come upon them by accident or because of some evil spirit. The storm came because God wanted it there. We too often fail to realize that the spiritual challenges we go through are not just the happenstance of fate, nor are they the work of evil spirits; but instead are truly sent by God. God allows (or sends) these things for our own spiritual advancement. “All things work for the good of those who love God.”

The spiritual storms in our lives are not meant to destroy us but to save us. In one sense these storms are sent to destroy our vices, especially that of pride and vanity. In the midst of the tempest we must learn something of ourselves. We must realize our own weakness and inability to truly do anything to save ourselves. In this humiliating realization we must call upon God for help. In this prayer and the answer to this prayer we are supposed to grow in our faith in God, but even more so in our love of Him. We must realize that God chastises those whom He loves.

The spiritual storm that we find ourselves in is frightening to those who are inexperienced in the faith or are still yet very weak. These souls must feel the enormity and weight of this storm so that they will be humbled and almost forced to call out in prayer for the mercy of God. Those who have weathered several spiritual storms find a peace and calm in the midst of this storm. They have learned to see the hand of God in everything that happens. They have learned to even be grateful for these crosses and burdens because they realize that these are necessary and for their greater good.

It is very scandalous seeing the heresies and schisms flying about in every direction, but it is nonetheless necessary. Jesus has told us that it is necessary that there should be scandals, but He also reminds us that there is woe for the one who scandalizes. He even goes so far as to tell us that it would have been better for that man if he had never been born. These are therefore very wicked days where God has been driven out of almost every aspect of men’s lives. Evil is promoted as something good. All that is holy and sacred is torn down and trampled upon. There is almost a universal idolatry practiced with all things worldly being held up in the place of God. Money, sex, pleasure, power, games, etc. are all given precedence to God and His commandments. Those who with the grace of God grasp and hold on to the true faith are few; and these few are being scandalized at every turn these days.

Let each and every one respond according to his faith. Those who are still babes in the faith, let them learn the humiliating truth of their own weakness and inability and cry out in prayer to God for help. Those who are of a more mature faith who have long ago learned humility and meekness from our Lord Jesus Christ, let them offer their love and gratitude to God with the calm simplicity of Job: “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the Name of the Lord.” May we mature with the Apostles who after Pentecost came forth from their sufferings rejoicing that they have been found worthy to suffer these things in the Name of Jesus. May we all accept our crosses willingly and gratefully for the love of God as Jesus accepted His for the love of us.