The gospel For Tuesday, the 18th week in Ordinary Time is taken from Matthew 14:22 36. Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side of the sea while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up 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 disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. It’s 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 and replied, 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 began 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 the land of Gennesaret. When the men of that place recognized him, they sent him to all the surrounding country. People brought to him all those who were sick and begged him that they might touch even the tassel of his cloak. And as many as he touched were healed. I want to focus on Peter.
He has a reputation of acting before he thinks things out. Sounds familiar to me. And one of the things I see in this story is the necessity of belief, the necessity to be convinced. When you’re engaged in something that is not of your own doing. When you’re used by a God who says, I want you to be the instrument of me to the world, and you find yourself in a place where you’re not in charge, it’s easy to be afraid. That’s exactly what we see in Peter.
He says, let me do what you ask me to do. And when he’s doing it, he doesn’t realize that he’s not fully convinced that it will work. And he’s afraid. And it again shows. When fear is there, it’s often because we don’t believe enough. All week long, we’re listening to Jesus remind his disciples, you have to believe.
You have to have a faith that is unshakable. Please take a few moments to reflect upon these scriptures. And then I will close with a prayer. The closing prayer. Father, when we experience a new world, a world of you working through us, it feels almost as if we’re doing the impossible. And when we think it is impossible, that’s when we fail.
So bless us with conviction and faith, and we ask this in Jesus name, amen.
