MATTHEW
CHAPTER
14
1. At that time Herod the ruler heard reports about Jesus; 2. and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he has been raised from the dead, and for this reason these powers are at work in him."
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 1 to 2)
Rumours Rumours everywhere! They spread like weeds and they become a nuisance to who ever comes across them. This is a sheer contrast to the spreading of Your Good News, which takes time to penetrate the hearts of mankind and bear fruit. On the other hand rumours spread not only fast but they can destroy a persons life and reputation.
3. For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, 4. because John had been telling him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 3 to 4)
John had been put in prison because of the truth because he stood up for what he believed according to his faith that was true. There are people oh Jesus whom You choose to be sign posts for us. By means of such people You make us aware of situations that are both positive that help us to remain free to love and worship You from others that bind us with strong chains of sin.
5. Though Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded him as a prophet.
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 5)
Oh Jesus what agony in disgust can we offer to You by means of our sinful self. Herod was afraid to have John the Baptist Killed however no mercy was shown to You oh heavenly father. The people held John as a prophet and as You declared many times that the people were in the presence of 'more than a prophet' but the actual Son of God and still they and we rejected You to be put to death. However what is of consolation is that in the background their was the Divine hand at work which permitted all that took place to happen according to Your Divine will.
As humans we are impressed by others. Moreover even our decisions and behaviour can be different when in the presence of a relative or a foreigner whom we wish to impress and win over for instance in a business deal. This change in self is explained in the following video clip called the Johari Window. I invite you click on the following link-
The Johari Window
In order to assess yourself on where you stand after using the Johari Window please click on the following link
Scoring the Johari Window
6. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and she pleased Herod 7. so much that he promised on oath to grant her whatever she might ask. 8. Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter."9. The king was grieved, yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he commanded it to be given; 10. he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. 11. The head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who brought it to her mother. 12. His disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went and told Jesus.
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 6 to 12)
At times Jesus you give us the opportunity to make choices in according to Your will however as in the case of Herod we forsake our free will and make choices go beyond Your will. Moreover at times these bad decisions may even have a negative impact on other peoples lives and liberty and thus that person involved may experience negative consequences as in the case of John.
13. Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 13)
According to verse 13 on hearing on the beheading of John the baptist you retreated to a quiet place by yourself. We are not told for what reason and what actually took place, however on knowing You my Jesus I would imagine your love and feelings of sorrow for John who was not only a baptiser but also your cousin. Although You had nothing directly to do with his death, however humanly as all humans you might have considered it partially your fault for John acted on sound spiritual values in defending what was right which ultimately was based on Your Word.
During such moments of grief it is healthy for us oh Jesus to spend time in Your presence, far away from the chatter and commotion of the world. It is also healthy to vent our feelings in Your presence. God already knows our issues, but it is still nice of us to communicate our feelings with our loving father. He is always available for us and has a very good ear to hear us and a strong shoulder for us to rest on.
14. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick.
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 14)
Oh Jesus even today You still feel compassion for us. During our times it is more heartbreaking than during Your times. During that period the level of education and resources to learn were very limited, however the people had You as their direct point of reference in order to grow in faith.
15. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves."
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 15)
If i was among the crowd oh Jesus I would also have remained in Your presence regardless of the physical and safety needs. My relationship with You is of top priority which is above all else. I find my security only in You my God.
16. Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 16)
Jesus your message is totally clear however it may be misunderstood. When in a tough situation it is easy to invite the person to pray and feel satisfied that we have done a good deed for the day, however this is simply not enough. Oh Jesus You are asking us to give of our selves, of the food and fruit of Your Good News that You have shared with us, so that we could share it with others. As Roman Catholics, Christians, Protestants we have been entrusted by You my God to share with others all that we have received from You and not keep what we have received for ourselves.
17. They replied , "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish."
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 17)
This one of the most common objections that we may put forward to You oh Jesus in order to defend ourselves when You ask something of us. We say " Are you kidding do You really think I can do this or that, forget it go and ask him or her "Mr or Mrs successful " but not me I do not have the stuff. However God has given us enough resources in order to be of help to others in many ways. You oh god enables us to use all our skills. The secret is to find the skill, the solution of our prayers by praying and reflecting on what we can do instead of what we cannot do. Our God is a can do God. He is able to make possible what seems to be impossible according to human logic and the ways of the world.
18. And he said, "Bring them here to me." 19. Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 18 to 19)
Oh Jesus we put before you all that we cannot do, all our boundaries and limitations, and expect to receive a solution from beyond us, and You oh Jesus choose to work with what we already have that is already within us. You make us aware of the skills and resources that You have already given us and stimulate us to use them in order to solve our problems.
20. And all ate and were filled and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 20 to 21)
It was no coincidence oh Jesus that there were twelve apostles who claimed to be empty in the sense of having nothing to give to others while on the other hand there were also twelve baskets full of leftovers after the great multitude of people had been more than satisfied with the loaves that they had eaten. You oh Jesus fills up our emptiness with divine providence. You give us the skills, the means and even stimulates our inner self where most of the resources are already stored. If You think that You have nothing to give discuss it with Jesus and He will fill up Your emptiness with an enormous abundance.
22. Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 22)
Oh Jesus this is the way of life that we are to adopt. We are not to be stuck in our ways or accomplishments in order to please others. Once our goal is accomplished we are to move on and seek further ways of accomplishing Your will before the same task becomes spiritually, physically, socially or psychologically suffocating at our own costs. At times friendships and relationships can become very demanding to the point of hindering our relationship with God and with ourselves. However You tell us to move on in life, because it is You Yourself who is going to befriend us from such negative surroundings. We do not need to terminate our relationships but place our focus on doing God's will. You oh God will take care of the rest.
23. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24. but by this time the boat battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them.
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 23 to 24)
After the great success with the people which surely had a positive impact on both the crowds and the apostles, Jesus may have wished to decrease the level of stress and popularity and seek comfort in prayer instead of titles and worldly honours. After moments of grandeur and consolations come moments of desolation so that our successes will not make us proud and haughty. Moreover during such positive moments following Your pattern we are to seek moments of prayer and thanksgiving and praise, because it is from You and by You that all our accomplishments are fulfilled. Even though our lives may be battered by the waves of tribulations as is mine in the present, I am still to make time to be reunited with You in prayer, because when I am reunited with You all forces both natural and spiritual are tamed and controlled in my favour, however when I am walking on another pathway that takes me far from You my boat is exposed to the harsh elements and forces that are there to protect me.
25. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea.
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 25)
Oh Jesus You love us so much yet You do not instantly come to our salvation. However when it is time for our deliverance, when we have no more strength to endure or fight the given circumstances, You triumphantly intervene on the situation and take control of it. You who are able to solve any situation, I pray that You come and walk over the waves that are breaking against my boat. Water is leaking in, my marriage is a shambles, there is no love or communication left between me and my wife. My only reason for staying in the marriage is that I gave my word to marry my wife and I am to stick to my word that I gave even to You on the altar. I thank You for giving me my sweet daughter by whom You are loving and caring for me Amen.
26. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified, saying. "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear.
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 26)
On seeing something that we do not understand what it is, we start jumping to conclusions and end up panic stricken both in ourselves and in those who happen to be around. This is our reality and that of the twelve apostles on seeing You walking on the stormy waves. In the chaos of life during moments of stress, even if You are there which I believe You always are we may not see You or even if we did we may not recognise You. Therefore during such moments it is best to try and move out of the situation and place our focus on You my father who although seems to be a ghost is indeed alive and active and even present.
27. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I: do not be afraid."
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 27)
Again we find the word immediately being used. Oh Jesus You do not wish us to waste time in being afraid. In every situation You are still inviting us not to be afraid because You are with us, present and active in the given situation which is under Your control and therefore we have no reason to be afraid. Oh Jesus give us the gift of faith so that we adopt it as a good habit to place our trust, faith love and hope in You in any situation so that we have a spirit of peace in us.
28. Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 28)
Although You assure us that You are with us oh Jesus, we are still overcome by doubt. The seeds of the evil one are fast growers and we immediately experience strong feelings of doubt and insecurity and this blocks our faith. However You oh are Jesus are not discouraged by our lack of faith.
29. He said "Come". So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 29 to 30)
As in the case of Peter we would all like to be full in Your Holy Spirit, however our sins make us become heavy and due to our unbelief we start sinking down to the point where only You can save us and not the ways and means of the world.
31. Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and caught him saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32. When they got into the boat the wind ceased. 33. And those in the boat worshipped him saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 31 to 33)
Oh Jesus You love us so much. You permit us to experience tests in our lives, however You do not let us be overcome by them. At the point of crisis, when we can stand the trial no more, You intervene as in the case of Peter and pull us out of the circumstances or solve our problem once and for all. You love us so much that You do not want us to be harmed in either body or soul.
34. When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35. After the people of that place recognized him, they sent word throughout the region and brought all who were sick to him, 36. and begged him that they may might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 34 to 36)
This is what I call true faith. During such positive circumstances that is both friendly and healthy Your healing energy flows abundantly because it is like a seed placed in the correct environment.
I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer;
Oh Jesus when situations appear to be complex and difficult to understand please help me make the great leap of faith and place all my trust in You. In Your name I place before You my family. I am more than 100% sure that You not only can restore it to its original state of love and care, but You can make it even better. I place my family under the wing of Your protection oh Father. May we all be like the people of Genesaret and place our trust in You. May we always be open to Your presence. I pray that You continue to make us aware of our gifts so that in a spirit of generosity we will be able to share our gifts and talents with others and not say that we cannot help others. Oh Jesus all things are possible for You, You are able to change our tribulations into a perfect state of order. Thank You Jesus.
3. For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, 4. because John had been telling him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 3 to 4)
John had been put in prison because of the truth because he stood up for what he believed according to his faith that was true. There are people oh Jesus whom You choose to be sign posts for us. By means of such people You make us aware of situations that are both positive that help us to remain free to love and worship You from others that bind us with strong chains of sin.
5. Though Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded him as a prophet.
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 5)
Oh Jesus what agony in disgust can we offer to You by means of our sinful self. Herod was afraid to have John the Baptist Killed however no mercy was shown to You oh heavenly father. The people held John as a prophet and as You declared many times that the people were in the presence of 'more than a prophet' but the actual Son of God and still they and we rejected You to be put to death. However what is of consolation is that in the background their was the Divine hand at work which permitted all that took place to happen according to Your Divine will.
As humans we are impressed by others. Moreover even our decisions and behaviour can be different when in the presence of a relative or a foreigner whom we wish to impress and win over for instance in a business deal. This change in self is explained in the following video clip called the Johari Window. I invite you click on the following link-
The Johari Window
In order to assess yourself on where you stand after using the Johari Window please click on the following link
Scoring the Johari Window
6. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and she pleased Herod 7. so much that he promised on oath to grant her whatever she might ask. 8. Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter."9. The king was grieved, yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he commanded it to be given; 10. he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. 11. The head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who brought it to her mother. 12. His disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went and told Jesus.
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 6 to 12)
At times Jesus you give us the opportunity to make choices in according to Your will however as in the case of Herod we forsake our free will and make choices go beyond Your will. Moreover at times these bad decisions may even have a negative impact on other peoples lives and liberty and thus that person involved may experience negative consequences as in the case of John.
13. Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 13)
According to verse 13 on hearing on the beheading of John the baptist you retreated to a quiet place by yourself. We are not told for what reason and what actually took place, however on knowing You my Jesus I would imagine your love and feelings of sorrow for John who was not only a baptiser but also your cousin. Although You had nothing directly to do with his death, however humanly as all humans you might have considered it partially your fault for John acted on sound spiritual values in defending what was right which ultimately was based on Your Word.
During such moments of grief it is healthy for us oh Jesus to spend time in Your presence, far away from the chatter and commotion of the world. It is also healthy to vent our feelings in Your presence. God already knows our issues, but it is still nice of us to communicate our feelings with our loving father. He is always available for us and has a very good ear to hear us and a strong shoulder for us to rest on.
14. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick.
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 14)
Oh Jesus even today You still feel compassion for us. During our times it is more heartbreaking than during Your times. During that period the level of education and resources to learn were very limited, however the people had You as their direct point of reference in order to grow in faith.
15. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves."
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 15)
If i was among the crowd oh Jesus I would also have remained in Your presence regardless of the physical and safety needs. My relationship with You is of top priority which is above all else. I find my security only in You my God.
16. Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 16)
Jesus your message is totally clear however it may be misunderstood. When in a tough situation it is easy to invite the person to pray and feel satisfied that we have done a good deed for the day, however this is simply not enough. Oh Jesus You are asking us to give of our selves, of the food and fruit of Your Good News that You have shared with us, so that we could share it with others. As Roman Catholics, Christians, Protestants we have been entrusted by You my God to share with others all that we have received from You and not keep what we have received for ourselves.
17. They replied , "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish."
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 17)
This one of the most common objections that we may put forward to You oh Jesus in order to defend ourselves when You ask something of us. We say " Are you kidding do You really think I can do this or that, forget it go and ask him or her "Mr or Mrs successful " but not me I do not have the stuff. However God has given us enough resources in order to be of help to others in many ways. You oh god enables us to use all our skills. The secret is to find the skill, the solution of our prayers by praying and reflecting on what we can do instead of what we cannot do. Our God is a can do God. He is able to make possible what seems to be impossible according to human logic and the ways of the world.
18. And he said, "Bring them here to me." 19. Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 18 to 19)
Oh Jesus we put before you all that we cannot do, all our boundaries and limitations, and expect to receive a solution from beyond us, and You oh Jesus choose to work with what we already have that is already within us. You make us aware of the skills and resources that You have already given us and stimulate us to use them in order to solve our problems.
20. And all ate and were filled and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 20 to 21)
It was no coincidence oh Jesus that there were twelve apostles who claimed to be empty in the sense of having nothing to give to others while on the other hand there were also twelve baskets full of leftovers after the great multitude of people had been more than satisfied with the loaves that they had eaten. You oh Jesus fills up our emptiness with divine providence. You give us the skills, the means and even stimulates our inner self where most of the resources are already stored. If You think that You have nothing to give discuss it with Jesus and He will fill up Your emptiness with an enormous abundance.
22. Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 22)
Oh Jesus this is the way of life that we are to adopt. We are not to be stuck in our ways or accomplishments in order to please others. Once our goal is accomplished we are to move on and seek further ways of accomplishing Your will before the same task becomes spiritually, physically, socially or psychologically suffocating at our own costs. At times friendships and relationships can become very demanding to the point of hindering our relationship with God and with ourselves. However You tell us to move on in life, because it is You Yourself who is going to befriend us from such negative surroundings. We do not need to terminate our relationships but place our focus on doing God's will. You oh God will take care of the rest.
23. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24. but by this time the boat battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them.
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 23 to 24)
After the great success with the people which surely had a positive impact on both the crowds and the apostles, Jesus may have wished to decrease the level of stress and popularity and seek comfort in prayer instead of titles and worldly honours. After moments of grandeur and consolations come moments of desolation so that our successes will not make us proud and haughty. Moreover during such positive moments following Your pattern we are to seek moments of prayer and thanksgiving and praise, because it is from You and by You that all our accomplishments are fulfilled. Even though our lives may be battered by the waves of tribulations as is mine in the present, I am still to make time to be reunited with You in prayer, because when I am reunited with You all forces both natural and spiritual are tamed and controlled in my favour, however when I am walking on another pathway that takes me far from You my boat is exposed to the harsh elements and forces that are there to protect me.
25. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea.
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 25)
Oh Jesus You love us so much yet You do not instantly come to our salvation. However when it is time for our deliverance, when we have no more strength to endure or fight the given circumstances, You triumphantly intervene on the situation and take control of it. You who are able to solve any situation, I pray that You come and walk over the waves that are breaking against my boat. Water is leaking in, my marriage is a shambles, there is no love or communication left between me and my wife. My only reason for staying in the marriage is that I gave my word to marry my wife and I am to stick to my word that I gave even to You on the altar. I thank You for giving me my sweet daughter by whom You are loving and caring for me Amen.
26. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified, saying. "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear.
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 26)
On seeing something that we do not understand what it is, we start jumping to conclusions and end up panic stricken both in ourselves and in those who happen to be around. This is our reality and that of the twelve apostles on seeing You walking on the stormy waves. In the chaos of life during moments of stress, even if You are there which I believe You always are we may not see You or even if we did we may not recognise You. Therefore during such moments it is best to try and move out of the situation and place our focus on You my father who although seems to be a ghost is indeed alive and active and even present.
27. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I: do not be afraid."
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 27)
Again we find the word immediately being used. Oh Jesus You do not wish us to waste time in being afraid. In every situation You are still inviting us not to be afraid because You are with us, present and active in the given situation which is under Your control and therefore we have no reason to be afraid. Oh Jesus give us the gift of faith so that we adopt it as a good habit to place our trust, faith love and hope in You in any situation so that we have a spirit of peace in us.
28. Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."
(Matthew chapter 14 verse 28)
Although You assure us that You are with us oh Jesus, we are still overcome by doubt. The seeds of the evil one are fast growers and we immediately experience strong feelings of doubt and insecurity and this blocks our faith. However You oh are Jesus are not discouraged by our lack of faith.
29. He said "Come". So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 29 to 30)
As in the case of Peter we would all like to be full in Your Holy Spirit, however our sins make us become heavy and due to our unbelief we start sinking down to the point where only You can save us and not the ways and means of the world.
31. Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and caught him saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32. When they got into the boat the wind ceased. 33. And those in the boat worshipped him saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 31 to 33)
Oh Jesus You love us so much. You permit us to experience tests in our lives, however You do not let us be overcome by them. At the point of crisis, when we can stand the trial no more, You intervene as in the case of Peter and pull us out of the circumstances or solve our problem once and for all. You love us so much that You do not want us to be harmed in either body or soul.
34. When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35. After the people of that place recognized him, they sent word throughout the region and brought all who were sick to him, 36. and begged him that they may might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.
(Matthew chapter 14 verses 34 to 36)
This is what I call true faith. During such positive circumstances that is both friendly and healthy Your healing energy flows abundantly because it is like a seed placed in the correct environment.
I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer;
Oh Jesus when situations appear to be complex and difficult to understand please help me make the great leap of faith and place all my trust in You. In Your name I place before You my family. I am more than 100% sure that You not only can restore it to its original state of love and care, but You can make it even better. I place my family under the wing of Your protection oh Father. May we all be like the people of Genesaret and place our trust in You. May we always be open to Your presence. I pray that You continue to make us aware of our gifts so that in a spirit of generosity we will be able to share our gifts and talents with others and not say that we cannot help others. Oh Jesus all things are possible for You, You are able to change our tribulations into a perfect state of order. Thank You Jesus.
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