19th Sunday A 9 August 2026 God reveals Himself
When we studied poetry in school as part of the English course, the comment was sometimes made about poets, and why they made it so hard to understand their poems. Why could they not just say what they mean instead of putting it all in riddles, was the general complaint.
In the first reading today, we have Elijah looking for a message from God, and not finding Him where he expected – wind, earthquake, fire - found Him finally in a gentle breeze. (1 K 19,12-13)
That may not be what one would expect from the Almighty, who is capable of dealing in storms – either starting or stopping them.
A similar complaint goes up concerning God as for the poets – why does He not make Himself clearer when He communicates with us?
It is because the more subtle messages have a way of getting through to the minds and hearts of the receivers.
Our Lord used the parables for instance as a way of getting people to think. We start to see ourselves as directly involved in the story. Take the prodigal son parable. We could see ourselves as either the younger son coming back, or the older son feeling resentful.
We go from just hearing a story to being personally concerned in it.
A good story will absorb us to this extent. And there are many of these stories, and many other ways that God can make His presence felt – like a gentle breeze. (Lk 15,11-32)
God wants us to look more deeply at the bigger questions in life, and be transformed.
Jesus’ walking on the water is one such story. Why did He come this way to the apostles when He normally did such things under human limitations? He wanted to demonstrate His power to them, and show them - through Peter – that they could draw strength from Him to do the same type of thing.
If we keep our gaze on Him we will not sink. This could apply to the individual disciple, or the Church as a whole. We will come to a safe harbour eventually – if we hang on to the faith.
The message covers many topics – taking up one’s cross daily, following the Lord regardless of doubts one might have.
If it is He then we are with Him till the end. He says, Do not be afraid. Why not? ‘It is I’ is enough reason.
We see that God does give us signs of what He is thinking, and what He intends, but these signs are more like the gentle breeze than a loud storm.
He can demonstrate His power but more often He is speaking to us in quiet ways – keep the commandments, pray constantly, give generously etc, and we will find God in the midst of those things.
We can do anything so long as it is according to His will.
Many reject God's way of communicating, insisting on their own way that things should be done.
We cannot order God about. If we come before Him in a complaining demanding manner we will not likely make much headway.
If we are humble and trusting we will receive a deeper faith, which will enable us to interpret more accurately what God is saying to us.
The mysterious element of God's will, whereby He does not tell us everything straight out, will serve to draw us into His presence.
Some things cannot be said in a simple straight-out statement; they require time to sink in.
So we let them sink into us, immerse us in the deeper truth which we seek.
We give God all the time He wants, without telling Him what to do.
Instead we repeat, more or less permanently, the cry of Peter – ‘Lord, save me’ (Mt14,30)
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