St. Mary's 

of the

 Immaculate Conception 

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The Church of the Immaculate Conception

Nineteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time   August 9, 2020

 
^{From Rev. Fr. Anthony Ekanem, MSP}
Calm in the Storm
On this nineteenth Sunday of ordinary time, the Church joyfully reminds us that Jesus, our Savior, is always close to us. He calms the storms of our life. He lifts us from the depths of our despair, confusion and restores our peace. The presence of the storm and all that it represents make us confused and afraid in life. Thus, it equally deprives us of our peace. But He is always there with us.
Things interesting about today's readings are the three significant figures and personalities of Elijah, Paul, and Peter. Their encountered in today's readings were in one way or the other embattled. As such, their peace threatened.
 
First, Elijah was fearful and running away from Ahab and his wicked wife, Jezebel, who wanted him dead at all costs. Second, Paul was ravaged by sorrow and anguish due to the unbelief of his "fellow brothers of Israel." This was a significant burden that threatened his peace of mind. Third, Peter was sinking right in front of Jesus due to fear, his lack of faith, and Courage. This is the dilemma of our lives. In one way or the other, our peace is threatened. Think about our present storm - the impact of COVID – 19 pandemic on us. How do we handle it?
In the first reading, the embattled prophet Elijah encountered God, and his peace was restored. A vital lesson for us in this reading is that, when we are internally calm and away from the distractions of life, we hear God speak to us. To say that God spoke to Elijah after the gentle breeze is to say that Elijah experienced peace. God came at the appropriate time, not in the mighty wind, not in the earthquake, not in the fire, but after a gentle breeze. Contrary to what some of us think, God speaks to us when we are attentive and calm. Often, we seek God with distracted minds. In such a state, we may not encounter Him. It is when we are calm that we hear Him speak to us.
 
In the second reading, Paul expresses his grief for his people (fellow Jews). This was because they rejected the good news. His sadness and pain were so great that he lamented: "I will willingly be condemned if it could help my brothers." In order words, he was not at peace because of their situation. Therefore, Paul teaches us that we must not always think about ourselves alone. Instead, we should equally be concerned about the welfare, salvation, and peace of others. It is through this that we derive our inner peace.
 
In today's gospel, the disciples of Jesus experienced the storm of their life, and Jesus was available to calm it, and equally, restore their peace. "Storms" are part and parcel of our human existence. There are inevitable in this world, just as the waves are inevitable in the sea. If taken the Gospel story literally, the relevance to our lives is lost. It is to be understood symbolically.
By that I mean, 
· the boat represents the Church;
· the wind and waves stand for the persecution that had been loose on the early Christians.
 
Jesus is not with them physically; He is in Heaven, praying to the Father. However, in the hour of need, He makes His presence felt among them, calling their fears and bringing them peace. Understood like this, the story has high relevance for us. 
 
Some people think that if you have enough faith, life will all be plain sailing. But it is not so. Faith or trust in God doesn't shield us from the hard knocks of life rather it shows a way in the midst of our troubles and despair.
 
Sometimes, they struck us that we are crushed, devastated, and almost annihilated. Like the disciples of Jesus, each of us experiences the storm in diverse ways in our lives. Corona virus pandemic is a case in point. Each of us through our experience is handling the effect of virus differently, but in all, we need His presence, His guidance and peace because it is frightening and overwhelming. That is the storm that robs us of our peace. However, when we encounter Christ, peace is restored, and fear disappears. Paul wrote: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair, persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed, always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our bodies.” (2 Corinthian 4: 8-9).
 
Finally, as Christ said to Peter, so He also speaks to us today: “Courage! Do not be afraid; it is I." So, all we need to do is trust Him and keep walking without the fear of sinking. “No matter what we go through in life, don’t let go of God’s hand” Like Peter, we must step out with faith and courage against the storms of our life. Therefore, let us hold on firmly to Jesus, who calms our storms and restores our peace. For, “God is not the Author of confusion but of peace.” (1 Corinthian 14:23).

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• We are to follow the NYS EXECUTIVE ORDERS, CDC, ESDC, and OSHA COVID 19 guidelines at all times. 
• All persons coming to church for Mass must wear masks and gloves at all times.
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• Follow guidelines for each section for singles, couples, or families with three or more members. 
• Skip one pew for seating for singles 
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• Allocate a minimum of two feet per person when seated
• Maintain six-foot distance between strangers while seated 
• If side or back aisles next to the wall are eight-foot or more, we can use folding chairs while maintaining a six-foot social distancing between them. 

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English:  Saturday 5:00pm, Sunday  7:30am  & 11:00am  
Spanish: Saturday-7:00pm, & Sunday-9:00am   
Arabic: Sunday-12:30pm                   

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the last Sunday of the month at 3:00pm (please call  ahead and make an appointment  with Fr. Anthony)
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