1 Kings -19:9, 11-13 / Romans 9:1-5 / Matthew 14:22-33
Today we celebrate National Day and our country's 61 years of independence.
The most obvious expression of this patriotic celebration is to put up the national flag.
As for our Church, we have put up 15 flags.
(That shows how Singaporean and how patriotic we are.)
So this evening at the National Day Parade, we will sing the national anthem and other National Day songs.
There will also be fireworks and other celebrations.
Yes, we want to celebrate nationhood and unity.
But we also know of the underlying stress, worry, and anxiety.
The cost of living is high, and some even say that Singapore is the most expensive city in Asia.
The students in school are stressed out by the exams and expectations to do well.
So, Singapore may be a rich country, but we also have worries and anxieties.
Because Singapore is like a small boat in the oceans of the world.
And whenever there is a storm somewhere, the small Singapore boat will rock and roll, literally.
In the gospel, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead while He would send the crowds away.
After sending the crowds away, Jesus went up into the hills by Himself to pray.
By then, the boat was far out on the lake and battling with a heavy sea.
So, the boat was rocking and rolling, and the disciples were also terrified and fearing for their lives.
Then, in the fourth watch of the night, which is the darkest hour that is just before dawn, Jesus went to the disciples walking on the water.
In the Bible, to walk on the waves and to command the storms are acts attributed to God alone.
So, in the darkest time of the night and in the chaos of the storm, Jesus comes to be with His disciples.
But in that terrified state of fright, the disciples thought that they were seeing a ghost.
So, in the darkness and in the chaos, it will be difficult to see where God is and what He is doing.
And in that terror and fear, human imagination will be wild and dark.
And so, instead of seeing God in something, people will see ghosts in everything.
And in the darkness and chaos, in that terror and fright, human character and weakness will be revealed.
Peter wanted to walk towards Jesus on the water, maybe because he was impulsive, but it could also be that he was selfish.
In such a situation, each one will be for himself, and each one will want to save himself first.
But out of an impulsive and selfish act came a lesson on emergency prayer.
As he sank into the water, Peter cried out, "Lord, save me!"
It was a short prayer, but it was enough for Jesus to stretch out His hand at once to Peter.
As we think about the gospel passage, we also may think about how it is connected to our country as we celebrate National Day.
Our country is like a small boat that can be easily tossed and turned by the storms of the world.
As the Church in Singapore, it is our duty and our mission to pray for the stability of the country and for the government.
It is our duty and our mission to pray for the well-being and the welfare of our fellow citizens.
And God has given us the power of emergency prayer for our country when we are in danger.
Yes, we cry out, "Lord, save us, save our country," when our country is going through darkness and chaos.
We also cry out, "Lord, save me," when we are terrified, when we are tossed and turned by the waves, by the worries and by the anxieties of life.
In the darkness and in the turmoil of life, let us listen for that sound of the gentle breeze in the first reading.
Then, like Elijah, let us go forth to help our brothers and sisters to see God in everything and to see God in everyone.