Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.
After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.
When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
GNT … This gospel reading of Jesus walking on water (Matthew 14:22 – 34) underscores a profound truth: “Lord, if it is you, bid me to come to you on the water” said Peter to the Lord – and the Lord responded: “come.” Christ may well be the bread of life, the light of the world, the door to salvation, the true vine, the resurrection and life, the way and the truth, the life and the good Shepherd, but all those things matter for nought if there is lacking human cooperation. What is absolutely necessary for salvation and the very thing Christ will not do is to force us sinners to invite him into our hearts.
• Here, Peter is willing to believe, and believing, so does. He begins to walk on water and in doing so participate in the greatest of miracles for no man has ever walked on water. True, Christ came walking on water but as God/man who could transform matter (water to wine), resurrect the dead, restore sight and give healing his ambulation atop the waves would be in keeping with the disciples experience of Christ as truly being the son of God. Peter, as mere mortal, believes and sustained in that belief he walks towards Christ.
• However, Peter soon realises the impossibility of what he’s doing. He is distracted by the waves and the wind. His faith begins to waver. He thinks to himself ” how can I a mere mortal do what I’m doing ” and, as mere mortal, begins to sink beneath the waves. His fear begins to magnify and in panic he cries out Christ: “Lord save me.” His faith and strength of love for Christ dissipates like mist before the sun. Now, reason supplants faith and reason says to him: ” you will drown”. Yet, his appeal to the Lord is answered with Christ reaching out his hand and catching him before he disappears beneath the waves.
• “Oh man of little faith, why did you doubt?” Is a question that is addressed to all of us today. We are all called upon to be witnesses to Christ. If we remain steadfast, then the wiles of the devil will fail. After all, does not Christ promise even if we are all scattered by the enemy that, provided that we continue to believe, we will continue to share in the peace that is Christ. For, after all, did not Christ tell us “in the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). Now there is the promise from Him who is the way, the truth and the life
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