Fr. John Zuhlsdorf: When the Church is Sinking and We are Perishing

As a reminder, the antiphons for Holy Mass for these last Sundays of Epiphanytide are the same. This shows us how, linked as they are, they are anchored in the Feast of Epiphany and they underscore the divinity of the Lord manifested through His miracles. The nature of the miracles themselves reveal that Christ is not just some garden variety wonder worker or holy man. He is God incarnate.

That’s the context of this Sunday in its liturgical season. Let’s turn to the context of the Gospel reading for Sunday. We are in Matthew 8, which followed the Sermon on the Mount discourse covered in chapters 5-7. Last week, also in chapter 8, we heard how Christ went to Capharnaum on the Sea of Galilee and healed both a leper and the Centurion’s servant. The Lord then went to Peter’s house and cured his mother-in-law’s fever, after which He performed healings and exorcisms. Because of the vast crowds, the Lord determined that they would “cross over to the other side” of the Sea. …

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