{"id":2231,"date":"2017-08-13T12:21:25","date_gmt":"2017-08-13T16:21:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=2231"},"modified":"2017-08-13T12:21:25","modified_gmt":"2017-08-13T16:21:25","slug":"korea-the-19th-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-a-homily","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/korea-the-19th-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-a-homily\/","title":{"rendered":"Korea & the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily"},"content":{"rendered":"

19th<\/sup> Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A<\/a>
\n1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a
\nPsalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14
\nRomans 9:1-5
\nMatthew 14:22-33<\/p>\n

Jesus\u2019 disciples found themselves a few miles offshore \u201cbeing tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 They faced a great storm.\u00a0 I know that I might feel fear in such a situation.<\/p>\n

In situations like this, we turn to Jesus in prayer.\u00a0 We look for Jesus to give us consolation and protection.\u00a0 Yet, when the disciples see Jesus coming towards them, they \u201ccried out in fear.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because they thought it was a ghost walking on the water.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When Peter finds out it is Jesus he says, \u201cLord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 Jesus does and Peter steps out of the boat and begins to walk on water.\u00a0 But then he becomes \u201cfrightened<\/em>\u201d and begins to sink.\u00a0 His faith is weak.<\/p>\n

We shouldn\u2019t judge Peter too harshly for this.\u00a0 His faith is weak but is ours any different?\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure I would have ever even tried to step out of the boat in the middle of the storm.\u00a0 In fact, I\u2019m not sure I would have even been in the boat in the middle of the storm.\u00a0 If I was, I might ask Jesus to calm the storm before<\/em><\/strong> I got out of the boat.<\/p>\n

Isn\u2019t that what we do when we face storms (challenges) in our lives?\u00a0 If we receive the diagnosis of an illness, we ask God to cure us immediately.\u00a0 If we lose our job, we ask God to give us another (and better) job right away.<\/p>\n

We should always start our response to storms in our own lives by asking God to help us.\u00a0 However, we shouldn\u2019t just sit around and wait for a miracle.\u00a0 We need to let Jesus lead us across the waters of the storm.<\/p>\n

We can face storms in our own lives as individuals.\u00a0 We can also face storms as a local community, a state, a national, or a storm that could affect the whole world.<\/p>\n

I do not know about you but I have been doing a lot of thinking and praying about what is going on with North Korea.\u00a0 Relations with North Korea had been difficult for a long time but it seems like a storm is really brewing now.<\/p>\n

While some might feel like me, I\u2019m sure there is a range of opinions out there from what difference does it make to me (Korea is on the other side of the world) to let\u2019s bomb them and get rid of them.<\/p>\n

As disciples of Jesus, we should care.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because there are lives involved.\u00a0 The Catechism of the Catholic Church<\/em><\/a> talks about \u201csafeguarding peace\u201d and \u201cavoiding war\u201d in paragraphs 2302-2317<\/a>.\u00a0 It\u2019s all under the section in the Catechism about the Fifth Commandment, \u201cYou shall not kill.\u201d<\/p>\n

I hope it is obvious that our Catholic faith says \u201cwar\u201d must always be a \u201clast resort.\u201d\u00a0 We need to pray for the success of diplomatic efforts.\u00a0 Please pray.<\/p>\n

Knowing the history of conflict in the world and that war sometimes happens, our Catholic faith has what we call \u201cJust War Theory\u201d to help us know what must be considered before starting armed conflict.<\/p>\n

One of the criteria is what I already mentioned about \u201clast resort.\u201d\u00a0 Other criteria include a \u201cjust cause,\u201d meaning there must be a serious evil to be corrected.\u00a0 In evaluating action, one must examine how innocent lives might be affected.\u00a0 Will more innocent people be affected than \u201cun-innocent\u201d people?<\/p>\n

The group taking the action must have the authority to act.\u00a0 With North Korea, can one government make the decision to respond (especially beyond immediate self-defense) or does the United Nations need to make the decision?\u00a0 We need to ask what is our intention?\u00a0 Self-defense?\u00a0 Protection of life?\u00a0 Power? Economic gain?<\/p>\n

There is also the principle of \u201ccomparative justice.\u201d\u00a0 The response must be in proportion to the original action.\u00a0 You can\u2019t wipe out a country in response to an attack of a single missile.\u00a0 Thinking specifically of the situation of North Korea, I am concerned about a very quick escalation where one side launches a few missiles, then the other side responds with even more missiles\u2026 and it keeps increasing to full war.<\/p>\n

There is one more criteria of \u201cJust War Theory\u201d that I feel is very important here<\/em><\/strong>, the \u201cProbability of Success.\u201d\u00a0 We must ask ourselves what \u201csuccess\u201d even is.\u00a0 When we went into Iraq the second time in 2003, I think part of \u201csuccess\u201d was defined as getting Saddam Hussein out of power.\u00a0 He was captured and executed.\u00a0 Are things any better?\u00a0 How stable is the region?<\/p>\n

What would be gained by simply removing the President of Korea, Kim Jong Un from power?\u00a0 Who would take over?\u00a0 Would it lead to any stabilization in the region?\u00a0 Honestly, I don\u2019t know the answer<\/em><\/strong> to this but I do know it is a very important part of any decision.\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Might military action be necessary?\u00a0 Perhaps.\u00a0 We need to pray for those directly involved in all of this.\u00a0 In the midst of all the rhetoric, I turn to today\u2019s first reading.\u00a0 How did the Lord make his presence known to Elijah?\u00a0 Was it in the POWER<\/strong> of the wind, the earthquake, or the fire?\u00a0 No, it was in the \u201ctiny whispering sound<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, let us pray that everyone involved stop escalating the rhetoric and quiet themselves to listen to God\u2019s guidance.\u00a0 Let us pray that military action is not necessary but whatever happens we pray for the safety of all who defend the innocent.<\/p>\n

For the complete list of “Just War” criteria see “Just War Theory”<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus\u2019 disciples found themselves a few miles offshore \u201cbeing tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.\u201d\u00a0 They faced a great storm.\u00a0 I know that I might feel fear in such a …<\/p>\n

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