August 13, Sunday of the 19th week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saint Pontian, pope and martyr, and Saint Hippolytus, priest and martyr
Daily Readings: First reading: 1 Kings 19:9, 11–13; Psalm 85:9–14; Second Reading: Romans 9:1–5, Gospel: Matthew 14:22–33
Isn't it interesting how doubts often pop into our heads unbidden and unwanted? Peter was actually walking on water, just like Jesus. But when he took his focus off the Lord and noticed the strong wind, doubt entered his mind: Can I really do this? That's when he started to sink (Matthew 14:30).
"Why did you doubt?" the Lord asks Peter after rescuing him (Matthew 14:31). That's a question we might ask ourselves at times. After all, we know how doubts can paralyze us, confuse us, or even lead us away from the Lord.
And yet, we are all prone to doubt. When we are suffering, we might wonder whether God loves us. If we've committed a serious sin, we might question whether God will forgive us. When we become discouraged by the evil in the world, we might start to question whether God is really in charge.
Doubts are a natural human response to uncertainty, so we shouldn't berate ourselves for them. Sometimes they don't even come from us; the evil one loves to plant doubts in our minds in order to shake up our faith. Whatever the case, they don't disqualify us from following Jesus. Just look at the apostle Thomas! Even a great saint like Thérèse of Lisieux struggled with doubts as she lay dying.
The key is to deal with our doubts, not by focusing on them but by calling out to the Lord as Peter did: "Lord, save me!" (Matthew 14:30). And just as he did for Peter, Jesus will stretch out his hand to us. He will remind us of who he is: a loving, compassionate, merciful, and mighty God. He will help us recall all he has done for us. He will assure us that he will never leave us and that nothing will ever separate us from his love.
You don't have to try to battle your doubts on your own. Jesus has come to save you, even from your doubts!
"Lord, help me to turn to you every time I start to question my faith."
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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