By Ajit Kumar Takiri csc –
Readings: Jer 28: 1-17; Mt 14: 22-36
A successful person is not the one with a high status in society, but one who is self-satisfied. That self-satisfaction leads him to be happy and that happiness is his achievement in life. We are busy seeking happiness in our lives. It is the most important goal of our lives. This journey is like that of Jesus Christ’s disciples in today’s gospel reading. As we keep moving in our life journey, there are lots of problems, difficulties, and struggles which affect our journey. But many of our friends discontinue this journey because of their spiritual and psychological weaknesses.
When problems and difficulties occur in their lives, they find no solution other than suicide. Now suicide has become a solution for people even among the religious.
Why do people choose such a solution in their life? Why do they sink in the difficulties of life like St. Peter sank in the sea as seen in today’s Gospel reading? The answer is quite simple: because they never felt the accompaniment of Christ in their journey of life. They never realized that Jesus is walking in front of them. They did not approach Jesus to help them and never took Jesus as their most powerful solution. Yes, suicide is not the solution to end problems in our lives. Rather, Jesus is the solution and must be the solution for our lives.
Today Jesus gives us hope by saying, “Take heart, it is I, have no fear.” Again, He says further “O man of little faith, why did you doubt?” With these words of hope, let us not discontinue our journey towards happiness, and let us not feel alone in our journey, because Jesus Christ is with us. And in our troubled situation when we call him, he is there to reach out his hands immediately to protect us as he protected St. Peter when he was about to drown in the sea. May the Lord give us the grace to recognize him during the moments of our difficulties.