Night moves

When the sun is shining and the sky is blue, our hearts leap quickly to rejoice in the Lord and to exult in the wonders of his creation.

Then, night comes and darkness envelops the world: God feels far away and we feel left alone to struggle with our fears.

But even in the darkness, God is.

When we hear today's familiar Gospel (Matthew 14:22-36), we tend to focus on the miracle of Christ walking on the sea and on Peter sinking.

But this Gospel also tells us about meeting God in the darkness of the night.

In the first part of the reading, having just fed the multitudes, the Lord Jesus finds quality time with God alone in the dark.

And when he had sent the multitudes away,
he went up into a mountain apart to pray:
and when the evening was come,
he was there alone.

Later, at the most unexpected of times, sometime between three and six o'clock in the morning, the disciples encounter Christ in the most unexpected of places.

And in the fourth watch of the night
Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea,
they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit;
and they cried out for fear.

Nighttime is often mentioned as a time for encounter with the Lord in Scripture, from the call of Samuel to the dream of St. Joseph, in the prophets and the Psalms.

My mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
When I remember thee upon my bed,
and meditate on thee in the night watches.
(Psalm 63:5b-6)

Carthusians and some of the other contemplatives actually rise in the middle of the night for prayer.

To be sure, there are dark things and temptations that come in the night, but by the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the hours of the night can be a special time to place oneself in the quiet presence of God.

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying,
Be of good cheer;
it is I;
be not afraid.