The Parish of St. Joseph

Further Reflection​

​

Psalm 84 (85)

This week’s psalm is the second half of Psalm 84 (85). Part I focuses on the return from the Babylonian exile and asks for God’s help in the difficulties the people met on their return.

 

The response line is the end of the previous section.

 

Today’s verses are spoken by the Temple Leader or Prophet as an oracle proclaiming words of hope. God will come back to his people bringing peace. The word ‘peace’ means more than an absence of conflict: it also includes a sense of well- being.

 

The psalmist lists the qualities of God, here including mercy, faithfulness, justice, and peace. He also chooses words linked with human activities (met, kiss) to make them more immediately relevant.

 

Heaven and earth meet in an image reminiscent of creation (see Genesis 1), where the sky forms a dome above the earth. God is present among his people – those who at the time saw material prosperity as an outcome of spiritual well being, of God’s favour resting on them.

​

Gospel Matthew 14: 22–33

Today’s Gospel passage comes just after the feeding of the five thousand. In this section of the Gospel, Jesus is instructing his disciples about their mission.

 

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat … while he dismissed the crowds The Greek word, translated here by ‘made’, is much stronger, akin to ‘forced’ or ‘compelled’ . His sending away of the crowds, mentioned twice, is also a sign of Jesus’s authority.

 

He went up on the mountain by himself to pray Mountains and hills are places where God can be encountered (see today’s First Reading). Just as there are times to pray as a community, Jesus also shows the necessity to pray on your own, alone with your God.

 

The boat, by this time, was a long way from the land Fishing boats of the time were of moderate size: 26.5 ft long, 4.5ft deep and 7.5 ft wide, able to hold between 5–10 passengers and a ton of fish. A more literal translation indicates that the boat was ‘several stadia’ from the shore. A stadion is a Greek measure corresponding to 200 yards.

 

It was beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them The Sea of Galilee is in fact a freshwater lake 700 ft below sea level, 8 miles wide and 13 miles long. Because of the surrounding hills 1200 ft above the sea surface, in the evening, there was a difference in the drop of temperature between the hills and the lake. The clash between cold and warm air led to sudden strong winds with waves 6ft high. The storm would last as long as it took for the lake to cool off. Because of their lack of scientific knowledge the people attributed these storms to spirits. Large bodies of water were seen as a places of evil, chaos and threatening powers.

​

In the fourth watch of the night This Roman measure of time would be between 3am and 6am.

 

Jesus came to them Matthew, writing for a Jewish audience, knows they would remember Old Testament episodes where God controls water (Genesis 1: 6–7) or overcomes waves (Psalm 77: 16–19; Job 9: 8; Isaiah 43: 16). Jesus demonstrates his power over the forces of nature and chaos.

 

‘It is I! Do not be afraid.’ This self-revelation echoes what God told Moses in the book of Exodus: ‘I Am who I Am’ (Exodus 3: 14).

 

Symbolism The boat has often been seen as a symbol of the Early Church, still fragile at the time Matthew wrote his Gospel, subject to persecutions (storms) and saved by the presence of Jesus among them. To this day, many churches have a ceiling in the shape of an upside-down boat hull.

​

For further prayer and reflection see the 'Our Prayer Life' page.