Word to the Wise
Tuesday, August 2, 2022 - Tuesday in the 18th Week in Ordinary Time
[Jer 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22 and Matt 14:22-36 or, in Year A, Matt 15:1-2, 10-14,480]"When the disciples saw [Jesus] 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 boar, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God." [Matthew]
Of all the miracles that Jesus performed, it seems to me that walking on water is the one that has captured the public imagination the most, even more than raising Lazarus! But what seems to escape that imagination is Peter doing the same thing. Is it, perhaps, because we know how feeble our own faith can be and so we don't want to think of such bravery?
One of the traditional images of the church is the storm-tossed boat with the disciples hanging on for dear life - the "bark of Peter." Peter's faith ["Lord, save me!"] is personified in his successor, the Pope. That can be a grand image indeed, but the challenge remains when the image is applied to our own lives and the inevitable stormy times occur. If we dare Jesus to help us and he says, "Come!", are we willing to abandon our little boat and walk on water? Our "dare" will have to turn into "Lord, save me!" We can do the same things Jesus can do if we let him help us.
I have mentioned before a plaque I once had with the words: "Sometimes the Lord calms the storm, and sometimes the Lord lets the storm rage and calms his child!" Which would we prefer? AMEN