Thursday, August 6, 2026 - When things do not go according to plan, God is there.

 

Thursday, August 6, 2026 - The Transfiguration of the Lord - If you were on the mountain with Peter, James and John, how would you respond?

To read the texts click on the texts: Dn 7:9-10,13-14; 2 Peter 1:16-19; Mt 17:1-9

The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event narrated by all three Synoptic Gospels. This scene in Matthew makes three major points. The first is the revelation of who Jesus is; the second is the foreshadowing of his death, resurrection, and exaltation into heaven; the third is the training of the disciples, and each of us, about the meaning of the whole Christ event.

Peter, James and John realized on the mountain that they were dealing with a reality that reached beyond human experience. They were dealing here, not merely with a social reformer or a political visionary; they were dealing with a man who had a unique relationship with God. The intensity of that relation was obvious to all on the mountain.

However, not only were they permitted to experience a new dimension of Jesus, but they also hear a voice from heaven that applies that dimension to them: "This is my chosen Son; listen to Him." The implication is that anyone who forms a relationship with God's Son will one day share in the transfiguration of God's Son. The good news is good news for the whole human race, not reserved for the elite few. So the apostles had to come down from the mountain with Jesus. As much as they may have wanted, they could not stay there.

The Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain confirms that Jesus was in the presence of God. It also serves to clarify that Jesus is, indeed, God’s Son. While Moses and Elijah, who appear with Jesus on the mountain, might represent the Law and the Prophets, they are also mentioned because of the actions they performed. Like Moses, who parted the sea on the command of God, and who fed the multitude in the desert with manna from heaven, Jesus calms the storm and feeds the five thousand with bread. Like Elijah, who multiplied loaves, cleansed a leper, and raised the dead, Jesus does the same, and even more.  Only in Luke are we given the content of the discussion that Moses and Elijah have with Jesus. They are discussing his exodus from this world to the next. They are discussing his departure.

Though Peter and his companions, John and James, witness the event, they do not know what to make of it.  Peter, however, wants to remain there and commemorate the place. He wants to remain in the past. Jesus knows that he cannot remain on the mountain, tempting as that might be.  He knows what he has to do and he will let no one come in the way.  He has to come down and go to the Cross. That Jesus is, indeed, confirmed in this is manifested by the voice from the clouds which, in words similar to those used at the Baptism, affirms Jesus as Son and slave.  Jesus is both at the same time. He is Son of God and he is Suffering Servant.  He will, through his death, bring salvation to all. He is the fulfilment of all the hopes, not only of Israel but, of the whole world. He supersedes both Moses and Elijah. They are no longer needed now that Jesus has come.

This time, unlike at the time of the Baptism, the voice from the clouds adds, “Listen to him”. This command endorses and confirms Jesus’ interpretation of the future course of events that will take place in his life, namely, his death, resurrection, and ascension. God approves of Jesus’ orientation and wants the disciples to realise that this is the only way. Thus, they cannot remain on the mountain.  They cannot freeze the event and stay there. They have to go down with Jesus and let him go to where the Cross awaits him.

 

The Transfiguration is an event which encapsulates the whole Christ event. It is here that we see his entire life, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension unfold. It is a summary of what was, what is, and what will be. Thus, the Transfiguration emphasizes that God has been revealed through Jesus and that the essence of Jesus’ identity and work cannot be understood apart from the cross and resurrection. Only in the light of the cross and resurrection do we understand the character of God and the significance of Jesus.

The Transfiguration also serves to emphasize that, though God will seem hidden at the passion and death of Jesus, and though Jesus might seem defeated, things are not as they seem. Rather, God is as present at the passion and death of Jesus as he was at the Transfiguration. Jesus is as victorious in his passion and death as he was in his Transfiguration.

The readings of today teach us an all important lesson. There are times in our lives when things do not go the way we plan, when all that we plan goes awry, when the road seems steep and the going is difficult, when every step that we take is laboured and arduous, when we cannot see or understand and, when we feel like giving up and giving in. It is at times like these that we, like Peter, wish we had stayed on the mountain. It is at times like these when we might like some tangible proof, some sign. Yet, the Transfiguration of Jesus teaches that God continues to walk ahead of us and, though we may not be able to see him as clearly as we would like, God is there.

We must be able, like Christ, to look beyond and not be weighed down by the trials and tribulations of the world. It means that we must continue to have faith and trust at all times since trials and tribulations are always temporary and passing. What is permanent is God’s unconditional love, manifested in his Son, Jesus Christ. Our confidence is not in our ability to overcome the challenges that come our way, but in God’s grace that we constantly receive in, and through, Jesus Christ.

 

Wednesday, August 5, 2026 - “If at first you don’t succeed try again”. Do you often give in to despair? Will you keep on keeping on?

 

Wednesday, August 5, 2026 - “If at first you don’t succeed try again”. Do you often give in to despair? Will you keep on keeping on?

To read the texts click on the texts: Jer 31:1-7; Mt 15:21-28

The story of the healing of the daughter of the Canaanite woman is our text for today. This story is found also in Mark 7,24-30, but Mark identifies the woman as a Syrophoenician. Matthew’s mention of “Tyre and Sidon” (Mark has only Tyre) and identifying the woman as a Canaanite result in an emphasis that Jesus has entered Gentile territory. This is also emphasised by the fact that Matthew does not have Jesus enter a house (like Mark does). In Matthew, Jesus does not enter the houses of Gentiles. The woman still addresses him with the title that only believers use in Matthew namely “Lord”. Despite an initial rejection, the woman perseveres in her request and continues to address Jesus as Lord. Jesus’ direct response to the woman is harsh and must be interpreted as a rejection. The analogy is indeed strong. However, the woman seems undeterred, and for the third time addresses Jesus as Lord, and continues to plead her cause. Jesus interprets such perseverance as “great faith”, and immediately heals the woman’s daughter even from a distance.

The woman shows not only perseverance and faith but also the ability not to let words get her down. The harsh words of Jesus spoken not in jest or with a twinkle in his eye (because nothing in the text warrants such an explanation) would have resulted in a lesser person treating it as an affront. The woman does not such thing. She knows what she wants and is determined to get it. She knows that while sticks and stones may break her bones, words can never hurt her.

Tuesday, August 4, 2026 - When the boats of our lives are swamped, God comes to our help

 

Tuesday, August 4, 2026 - If you were in Peter’s place and were about to drown, what would you say to the Lord?

To read the texts click on the texts: Jer 30:1-2,12-15,18-22; Mt 14:22-36

The text of today appears immediately after the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand (14,13-21). For the first time in Matthew, the disciples are sent forth without Jesus. This is also the first time in the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus is depicted as praying. Many see the boat in which the disciples are is by as representing the church and here it is battered by the waves. Despite the seeming impossibility of Jesus being able to reach them, he comes to them in the darkest part of the night i.e. between 3.00 and 6.00 a.m. By walking on the water, Matthew is not portraying Jesus as defying the law of gravity, but subduing the chaos of the waters. Jesus does what only God can do (Job 9,8; 38,16; Ps 77,19 etc), and announces himself as “I am” which is reminiscent of the name God used to identify himself in Exodus 3,15. The second part of this pericope in which Peter asks Jesus to allow him to come to him is exclusive to Matthew. Peter addresses Jesus as believers do in Matthew by using the title “Lord”. The point that Matthew seems to be making is not only that Peter took his eyes off Jesus and so began to sink, but also that by leaving the boat, he indicated that he wanted proof of the presence of Jesus. Peter cries out with a prayer, “Lord, save me”, and Jesus reaches out and saves him. The gentle rebuke identifies Peter as a person of “little faith” which in Matthew is a mixture of courage on the one hand and anxiety on the other. It is a faith mixed with doubts. The conclusion to this episode in Matthew is that the disciples worship Jesus as Son of God. Jesus is then portrayed as the one who can make everyone whole.

The boat of our life is often swamped by waves. These can be marital discord, addictions, problems with children and parents, disagreements with neighbours and the like. When this happens, the Lord keeps coming to us, walking on the water, subduing the chaos and confusion of our lives and telling us that he continues to be Emmanu’el. If we continue to stay in the boat, he will lead us safely to the shore. If we decide to leave the boat and go to him, then we need to keep our fixed on him and not let the waves get us down.

Monday, August 3, 2026 - When the boat of our lives is swamped, the Lord comes in and guides us to the shore.

 

Monday, August 3, 2026 - If you were in Peter’s place and were about to drown, what would you say to the Lord?

To read the texts click on the texts: Jer 28:1-17; Mt 14:22-36

The text of today appears immediately after the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand (14,13-21). For the first time in Matthew, the disciples are sent forth without Jesus. This is also the first time in the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus is depicted as praying. Many see the boat in which the disciples are is by as representing the church and here it is battered by the waves. Despite the seeming impossibility of Jesus being able to reach them, he comes to them in the darkest part of the night i.e. between 3.00 and 6.00 a.m. By walking on the water, Matthew is not portraying Jesus as defying the law of gravity, but subduing the chaos of the waters. Jesus does what only God can do (Job 9,8; 38,16; Ps 77,19 etc), and announces himself as “I am” which is reminiscent of the name God used to identify himself in Exodus 3,15. The second part of this pericope in which Peter asks Jesus to allow him to come to him is exclusive to Matthew. Peter addresses Jesus as believers do in Matthew by using the title “Lord”. The point that Matthew seems to be making is not only that Peter took his eyes off Jesus and so began to sink, but also that by leaving the boat, he indicated that he wanted proof of the presence of Jesus. Peter cries out with a prayer, “Lord, save me”, and Jesus reaches out and saves him. The gentle rebuke identifies Peter as a person of “little faith” which in Matthew is a mixture of courage on the one hand and anxiety on the other. It is a faith mixed with doubts. The conclusion to this episode in Matthew is that the disciples worship Jesus as Son of God. Jesus is then portrayed as the one who can make everyone whole.

The boat of our life is often swamped by waves. These can be marital discord, addictions, problems with children and parents, disagreements with neighbours and the like. When this happens, the Lord keeps coming to us, walking on the water, subduing the chaos and confusion of our lives and telling us that he continues to be Emmanu’el. If we continue to stay in the boat, he will lead us safely to the shore. If we decide to leave the boat and go to him, then we need to keep our fixed on him and not let the waves get us down.

Sunday, August 2, 2026 - In whatever crisis or issue, we face in life, in whatever trouble may come our way, the power of God’s love will provide what we need.

 

Sunday, August 2, 2026 - God will provide what we need

To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 55:1-3; Rom 8:35,37-39; Mt 14:13-21

A prosperous and God-fearing industrialist was praying with his son one night at bedtime. He said to his son, “Let us pray for that poor man who lives down the road that the good Lord may come to his aid.” His son turned to him and replied, “But, Dad, we don’t need to bother God about that. We can do it ourselves.”

The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand with five loaves and two fish in which twelve baskets are gathered and which is the Gospel text of today is only miracle that Jesus worked that is found in all four Gospels (Mk 6:35-44; Lk 9:10-17; Jn 6:1-15). While each evangelist narrates it slightly different from the others, the numbers that are used are the same in all four Gospels.

A variety of explanations have been offered as to what really happened. While some think that there was a miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fish, though it cannot be explained how, others think that when people saw Jesus and disciples sharing the little they had, there were also motivated to share their own food with others. Still others give a sacramental explanation to the miracle. There is no need to deny the historicity of the miracle simply because we have never witnessed a miraculous multiplication of food. At the same time, however, the literal, historical miracle of Jesus on this occasion is full of ongoing and important significance for Matthew’s community and for us.

The miracle, while it may be seen as the supernatural provision for the physical hunger of a large crowd on a specific occasion, is much more than just that. Indeed, the miracle is a deed filled with symbolism at more than one level. The primary symbolism is that of messianic provision, both now in the present and in the future. This provision takes place in the wilderness, just as manna was provided in the wilderness. It is a kind of messianic provider. People go away from his presence healed and filled.

The feeding of the multitude is thus a sign of good news for Matthew’s Church and also for people of every era. God is not far away and aloof from us. God is not simply a God up there in heaven. Jesus shows us that God does not stand outside of life, but is right here with us, beside us in our broken and troubled and suffering world. It is an indication to all peoples who dare to see and experience that the Messiah is in their midst, offering to them real bread which satisfies. Not only will God offer bread but also the choicest of gifts and these will be given freely and gratuitously. These will be in abundance just as the abundance at the feeding of the five thousand. God gives them freely because of his unconditional love. His love was shown in a variety of ways to the people of Israel, but in the most perfect of ways according to Paul in and through his Son, Jesus Christ. This love is so sure and tangible that not even death will be able to stop its outpouring. Paul reminds us that in all things God’s abundance will, in the final analysis, become sufficient to meet our needs. This will happen right here and right now. In the midst of who and what we are, God will provide.

 

This does not mean, of course, that people of faith will have no problems or misery. But it does mean that God will give us the grace and aid to bear the load as we overcome and move through whatever may befall us. Ours is not a faith of easy answers and unrealistic solutions. Jesus entered life and died on the cross for us, showing us that in whatever we experience, in whatever may trouble us, in whatever distress or threat we feel, we need not fear because God is in it with us. God will lift up in our midst what we need to make it through.

Like the disciples of Jesus, we sometimes find that our care and compassion are very often limited to prayer and good wishes. Like the disciples we wish people well but have no intention of taking positive action to help the situation. And, again, like the disciples, what prevents us from taking positive action is often the realistic assessment that the little we are able to do is not really going to make any appreciable difference.

But in the gospel, we see that when we translate our care and compassion into positive action, the little we are able to do is multiplied by God’s grace in such a way that it becomes more than sufficient for the need. In whatever crisis or issue, we face in life, in whatever trouble may come our way, the power of God’s love will provide what we need.