Word to the Wise
Sunday, August 13, 2023 - 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
[1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a; Rom 9:1-5; Matt 14:22-33]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 Peter, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
"Walking on water" has become almost a byword for attempting the impossible. The account of Jesus walking on water in the Gospel According to Matthew is a demonstration of Jesus' power. But I think what captures my attention is Peter's state of mind, because I've had that state of mind and have encountered many others who have had the same experience. We are asked to do something that we think is beyond our capacity and yet, putting our trust in God, we try it. The problem arises in focusing on the difficulty and not on our own strength and resources. Once Peter focused on the difficulties, he started to sink. As long as he kept walking toward Jesus without wondering how he could do it, he was safe.
There are thousands of "What ifs....?" that can come to mind. But the focus on Jesus' power and our faltering faith is the point. How strong IS our faith when our fears start crowding in on us. The storm was bad enough, but the fear of ghosts was almost worse. Jesus says he is stronger than the storm and tells us to have courage. Probably the hardest advice we ever get from him is "Do not be afraid!" Can we recall our own equivalent experience of "walking on water?" Peter tested his own faith in asking Jesus to call him onto the water, and discovered he would need help. So do we! AMEN