I can’t! It’s too much!

In today’s first reading (Nm. 4:b-15), Moses despairs, overwhelmed by the burden of caring for the cranky Children of Israel.

I cannot carry all this people by myself,
for they are too heavy for me.
If this is the way you will deal with me,
then please do me the favor of killing me at once,
so that I need no longer face this distress.

In today’s Gospel (Mt. 14:22-36), Peter also feels overwhelmed, as he tries to walk on the water like Christ.

But when he saw how strong the wind was
he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out,
"Lord, save me!"


While none of us are likely to have the particular challenges of Moses and Peter, we may feel a certain resonance with their plights.

It is sometimes easy for us to feel overwhelmed, especially in this chaotic world. Sometimes the responsibilities and the challenges feel too great and we despair even of survival.

It is at times such as these that we most especially need to call upon the Lord, with honesty and humility, as did Moses and Peter -- and the Lord will respond.

Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand
and caught him,
and said to him,
"O you of little faith,
why did you doubt?"

Make no mistake: while the Lord came at once to Moses’ aid, there was not a magical turnaround in his situation: many challenges would remain. Likewise, Peter was saved from drowning, but not without a nightmarish fright and getting very, very wet.

So too we can call upon the Lord with absolute confidence in his saving help, but with no illusions about the difficulties we may still have to endure.

We may have reason to feel overwhelmed in our lives,
but if we remain close to the Lord and call upon him in our need,
no matter what we may still have to suffer and endure,
God will remain with us
and carry us through every difficulty
to everlasting happiness, peace and salvation
in and through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Deus in adiutorium meum intende
O God, come to my assistance.

Domine ad adiuvandum me festina
O Lord, make haste to help me.

(Opening versicles and responses from the Liturgy of the Hours)