In today’s first reading Jerimiah laments his current situation. The Psalm is an expression of desire for the Lord. The second reading is a call to offer oneself in the Lord’s service. In the Gospel, Jesus begins to indicate the trials that are to come.

Reflecting back on the Gospels of the past few Sundays, I have found it easiest to imagine myself in the role of Peter. I can envision my response to being called to walk on water and then falling into the sea as a person lacking in faith. I can enjoy Jesus’ approval with the response to His asking, “But who do you say that I am?”. I can feel Peter’s embarrassment as he is chastised in today’s Gospel.

In my university education, I had a Jesuit physics professor who would habitually say, “It’s not easy this life.” Frequently I catch myself asking how I got into a mess in which I find myself. Generally, I see the answer as being that it was through my own choice. Often enough it has been through personal stupidity, but also often enough it has been the result choosing a more difficult path out of principle. Jerimiah is in the current situation because he is listening to God’s call. In the second reading, Paul is calling Christians away from the comfortable ways of the world and toward becoming a living sacrifice through their commitment to the Lord. Similarly, Jesus turns to Jerusalem knowing this difficult path is the one that he needs to take.

At dinner nearly every evening my wife asks me what I did that day. My typical response is “about a third of the things that I had hoped to accomplish”. Where do I put my time and energy? I make more than my share of bad choices in using the limited time and energy that I have. Where is my focus? A person much wiser than I am recently suggested that the reason that Peter started to sink into the sea was that he let his attention go to the wind and the waves rather than keeping his focus on Jesus.

My prayer today gives attention to my choices.

Dear Lord,
Help me to listen to Your call.
Fill me with the desire for Your grace that I read in today’s psalm.
Grant me the steadfastness in purpose that I see in Jerimiah, Paul and Jesus.
I recognize that paths of these individuals did not get any easier,
but filled with Your Spirit they persevered in the direction of Your call.
I ask that you confer on me the gift of such focus.