Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Sr. Carla Vasconcelos, SNDdeN
Matthew 14: 22-33
The fears that paralyze us… or make us move forward
(Mt 14:22-33)
A few days ago, one of our sisters told me something that troubled me: at a Mass she
attended, the priest stated during the homily that being afraid was a sin. That’s right—he said it in
a general sense, without providing context or making distinctions. As I read this Sunday’s Gospel,
I remembered that incident and thought to myself, “I hope he doesn’t say that again…”
This incident occurred right after I had bought a book titled “The Virtue of Fear”. Ironic as
it may seem, I felt like gifting it to the priest, but I am still in the early pages and want to read it to
the end.Obviously, there is a great difference between feeling fear in the face of a snake and being
afraid to speak out against an injustice because doing so would provoke opposition. It seems
clear that, in the first case, there is no sin. In the second, however, fear could lead to the sin of
omission.
There is something more than mere confusion regarding the concept of fear here. I would
venture to say that there is a flawed theology at play. To think that God demands we suppress our
fears in the face of frightening situations borders on dehumanization—and this, coming from a
God who became human…? Jesus himself, in Luke’s account (22:44), felt such intense fear that
it made him sweat blood.
Despite what some religious leaders might think, there is a scientific consensus that fear
is an important biological defense mechanism, enabling us to detect threats and react to them—
by fighting or fleeing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, fear prompted us to wear masks and avoid
leaving home unnecessarily. These and other forms of protection, such as vaccines, help save
lives. Those who rush into danger without analyzing it or knowing themselves… may succumb to it.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, we contemplate two moments when two types of fear became
evident: in the first, the disciples were terrified—stricken with fear—when they saw Jesus
approaching amidst a gale that was shaking everything. They thought Jesus was a ghost. They
were not afraid of Jesus, but of the ghost. In some belief systems, ghosts are the spirits of the
deceased; in psychology, they can be projections of our own brains—things that are not real. Fear
can take a negative hold on us when, amidst life’s adversities, we fail to see God’s presence and
become paralyzed: we resign ourselves to a frightening reality because getting involved would be
too risky… or we take refuge in the virtual world, where we can forget our fears by watching an
endless stream of products and perfect lives—illusions that steal us away from the real world, a
world filled with conflicts and challenges. To these disciples—to these situations—Jesus says:
“Do not be afraid!” There is no room for negotiation regarding this kind of fear. Our feet walk in a
real world, and Jesus does not allow us to shirk the responsibility of acting within it—avoiding
risks when possible, and embracing them when inevitable.
At a subsequent moment, Peter stands out from the other disciples and asks Jesus to help
him come to Him. Yet, halfway there, he feels fear—not of Jesus, but of the wind. It is legitimate
to feel fear in genuinely dangerous situations, and for this reason, Jesus did not condemn this
emotion. Jesus condemned the doubt that caused Peter to stop walking—“O you of little faith,
why did you doubt?”—and, by ceasing to walk, he sank. Peter had begun walking toward the
turbulent waves because he believed Jesus was present amidst that chaos. At some point during
the walk, however, his faith in Jesus’s presence was shaken. The evil before him seemed too
great and impossible to defeat.
It is quite possible that you—like me—feel fear when contemplating this world consumed
by a thirst for power and money, by lies, wars, and death, and by the rapid destruction of our
Common Home. Humanity’s destiny seems to be in the grip of evil men; they want us to believe
there are no other ways to live and coexist. We know this is not true. We cannot accept this and
stop seeking alternatives. The secret lies in keeping the faith and moving forward amidst this
chaos, fighting for justice and peace alongside the people who suffer most and are most affected
by these evils. May Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross inspire and encourage us with her famous
words: “Courage means going forward even with fear”… and with the certainty that God is with
us
Matthew 14: 22-33
After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”
Meet Sister Carla Vasconcelos, SNDdeN
