Sermons & Homilies
A significant aspect of faith is its opposition to doubt. Where doubt debilitates, faith gives life; where doubt breeds cowardice, faith produces courage; where doubt gives birth to smallness of soul, faith enlarges the heart.
St. Matthew's Gospel not only introduces its readers to Jesus Christ as the prophesied Messiah who came to save sinners, but also illustrates this through the life of the Apostle Matthew.
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The error of St. Peter was not at all his desire to forsake everything earthly for the sake of the glory of God. His error was in forgetting that the glory of God can be acquired nowhere other than on the Cross of Christ.
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Yet today at Gennesaret, Simon Peter as it were encounters the Lord for the first time: not as an abstract idea, not as a public figure only (however great a figure He doubtless appeared to be), but face to face. St. Peter begins to glimpse that this man is far more than a religious teacher or a political liberator, and he begins to realize that his own life will never be the same. This beginning of St. Peter’s life of apostleship can and must serve to inspire and instruct us also, who are all likewise called to the apostolic life to no lesser extent than St. Peter himself.
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High up from his hilltop, Jesus saw and knew all. Before he had even sent the disciples away, he knew what he would do. He bided his time until the moment was right. Late at night, about the fourth watch, just before dawn, Jesus came down from the mountain, and calmly walked into the storm. The waves fell at his feet like sheep, meek as a lamb. All things are his servants—the waters made him a path. Water like solid earth held up him who fixed the earth upon the waters. The Voice of the Lord is upon the waters, the God of glory hath thundered; the Voice of the Lord with power, the Voice of the Lord with majesty. His way is in the sea, and his paths in many waters; and his footsteps shall not be known.
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