In the first reading today from Genesis 19, we read about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Because of their wickedness, God had his sights set on them. But Abraham’s nephew, Lot, was in the region. Abraham asked that Lot be spared. So angels came and told Lot to get out of Dodge! They said that he and his family should not look back. But Lot’s wife looked back, and was turned into a pillar of salt. Guess she should have listened more attentively.
In the Gospel reading from Matthew 8, the disciples are in a boat when a violent storm whips up on the sea. Jesus is sleeping in the boat. (I can only imagine how exhausted Jesus must have been with his hectic schedule.) The disciples are overcome with fear and wake Jesus up, saying to him, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” And Jesus calms the wind and the seas.
Interesting choice of words, isn’t it? We are perishing! Could the disciples have possibly known that they were speaking for all mankind? Though I’m sure they were worried about the storm in the here and now, we (mankind) were, indeed, perishing in our sins. And there was only one who could do anything about that. And just as He made sure that the disciples did not perish that night from the storm, so did He make sure that we (you and I and all mankind) did not perish in our sins. Let us thank the disciples for speaking out for you and me that fateful night on the boat.
Father, when we were perishing in our sins, you sent your Son, Jesus, to save us. Help us always to remember to call upon Him in our distress. Amen.
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