Dear Parish Family,

Everything in our Scriptures today points to staying focused on God amidst suffering, evil, and violence. While Elijah prays on the mountain, there are strong winds, an earthquake, and fire. Finally, he hears the voice of the Lord in a tiny whispering sound. God doesn't speak in the violence of the wind, earth, or fire, but in the quiet of prayer. It is the evil one who speaks through violence as a distraction to get our attention on the mess he is causing rather than on the peaceful and powerful work of God.

In the Gospel, Jesus comes to His disciples walking on water in the midst of a violent storm. At Jesus' command, Peter begins to walk on the water towards Jesus. He walks on the water when he stays focused on Christ, but begins to sink when he focuses on the storm around him. When we keep our eyes on Christ, we walk with Him above the storm. When we keep our eyes on the storm around us, we fall into the violence around us. 

Consider where your attention is with whatever struggles you face in your personal or family life, or with what you see and hear in the media and the world around you. Keeping your eyes on Christ through it all keeps you above the storm even while being in the midst of the storm. The fruit of this beholding of Jesus in the midst of violence is prayer, love, hope, peace, gratitude, mercy, wisdom, and the like. It's only when we focus on the evil and destruction around us that we begin to fall into despair, hatred, doubt, and even add to the violence and noise around us and within us. 

Evil and suffering are a work of the enemy. As we all know from experience, it takes a lot more time to build something than to tear it down. Satan wants to destroy the good things God creates. God always finds a way to build and restore, it just takes time. We need to keep our eyes fixed on God's plans and choose to participate in the restoration and healing of our world rather than on the violence and chaos caused by the enemy. Walk with Jesus above the storm. Eyes on Christ, always!

The Assumption is on Saturday, August 15. It is not a holy day of obligation this year (which happens when Assumption falls on a Saturday or a Monday). Saturday Vigil Mass will be celebrated for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time. 

I am yours in Christ,

Fr. Scott Goodfellow