The night of faith, Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 14:22-36.

Book of Numbers 12:1-13.

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses on the pretext of the marriage he had contracted with a Cushite woman.
They complained, "Is it through Moses alone that the LORD speaks? Does he not speak through us also?" And the LORD heard this.
Now, Moses himself was by far the meekest man on the face of the earth.
So at once the LORD said to Moses and Aaron and Miriam, "Come out, you three, to the meeting tent." And the three of them went.
Then the LORD came down in the column of cloud, and standing at the entrance of the tent, called Aaron and Miriam. When both came forward,
he said, "Now listen to the words of the LORD: Should there be a prophet among you, in visions will I reveal myself to him, in dreams will I speak to him;
Not so with my servant Moses! Throughout my house he bears my trust:
face to face I speak to him, plainly and not in riddles. The presence of the LORD he beholds. Why, then, did you not fear to speak against my servant Moses?"
So angry was the LORD against them that when he departed,
and the cloud withdrew from the tent, there was Miriam, a snow-white leper! When Aaron turned and saw her a leper,
"Ah, my lord!" he said to Moses, "please do not charge us with the sin that we have foolishly committed!
Let her not thus be like the stillborn babe that comes forth from its mother's womb with its flesh half consumed."
Then Moses cried to the LORD, "Please, not this! Pray, heal her!"

Psalms 51(50):3-4.5-6a.6bc-7.12-13. 

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; 

in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 

Thoroughly wash me from my guilt 

and of my sin cleanse me. 

For I acknowledge my offense, 

and my sin is before me always: 

"Against you only have I sinned, 

and done what is evil in your sight." 

You are just in your sentence, 

blameless when you condemn. 

True, I was born guilty, 

a sinner, even as my mother conceived me. 

A clean heart create for me, O God, 

and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 

Cast me not out from your presence, 

and your Holy Spirit take not from me. 

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 14:22-36. 

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. "It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once (Jesus) spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."
Peter said to him in reply, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."
He said, "Come." Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how (strong) the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God."
After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret.
When the men of that place recognized him, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought to him all those who were sick
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak, and as many as touched it were healed.

The night of faith

If we are sometimes assailed by inevitable trials, let us remember that it is Jesus who has commanded us to get into the boat and that he wishes to go before us “to the other side”. Because it is impossible for those who have not undergone the trial of waves and contrary winds to get to that shore. And so when we see ourselves surrounded by numerous and painful difficulties, tired out from sailing in the midst of them with the poverty of our means, let us think that our boat is now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves that want to see us “make shipwreck of our faith” (1Tm 1,19) or some other virtue. And if we see the breath of the Evil One set against what we are undertaking, let us say to ourselves that, at that moment, the wind is contrary.

So when, amidst these sufferings, we have held firm through the long hours of the dark night that reigns in times of trial, when we have struggled our best by taking care to avoid “shipwreck of our faith”… then let us be sure that towards the middle of the night, “when night is far spent and day is at hand” (cf. Rom 13,12), the Son of God will come close by us, walking on the waves, to calm for us the sea.