Matthew 14:22-33

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Oratio (Responding)

There has been much written about this passage, and most people focus on the interaction between Jesus and Peter. There is indeed, much to be learned about our faith in that portion of the reading. However today I want to share a new insight I found in this passage. I believe that this passage speaks to us about the difference between how the christian life is actually lived, versus how the God wishes us to live it.

Let’s start with the passage immediately proceeding this reading. It is the story of Jesus feeding the 5000. This feeding represents an early image of the eucharist that Jesus would give us after He was resurrected and rose into heaven. The Eucharist is the superabundant food that not only sustains us for the journey, but also protects us from the wiles of the devil. Today’s passage starts with the line, “after he had fed the people” meaning that He had just given them the eucharist, and they were leaving from the banquet, and Jesus was still with them.

So what happens after we receive the eucharist on Sunday, we go back into the world, and while Jesus is physically with us in the eucharist, His presence does eventually leave us, like Jesus does in this passage, and we are left alone, literally being tossed about in the storm. The passage clearly states that this is during the 4th watch, between 3am and 6am in the morning. This is the darkest part of the night, the part of the night when the devil is most active, and troublesome. But it is also the time right before the dawn, the time before the new day begins.

The storm literally represent the serious peril and trouble that this world can bring, but what Jesus reveals to us in this passage, is that the storm is really just an illusion! It is only temporary, and is ultimately not to be feared. And Jesus literrally demonstrates this fact by physically walking on the sea amidst the storm. There is nothing that this world can throw at you that Jesus is not above, and that He is not master of. We only need look at Him and trust in that fact.

Peter voices this belief when he asks Jesus to command him to come out on the water. This shows us that we too have the ability to rise above the storm and not be tossed about by it. We only need keep our eye on Jesus, and we too, will be able to walk on the water. But when we take our eye off of Jesus that is when we will begin to sink into the storm and be over come by it. We need to not look at the storm, but instead focus on Jesus.

But alas we are only human, and we often get overcome by the storm. Peter here, also shows us what to do, when you are lost and overcome by the storm. That is when you should stop what you are doing and cry out “Help me Jesus”. Many theologians have taught that this is the most perfect of prayers. Because it simply and clearly describes the set of circumstances we are in. We are lowly sinful creatures that are utterly in need the Lord’s help. And Jesus is God, who lovingly wants to pour out His mercy on us. “help me Jesus” clarifies that reality better than anything else that can be said. And He is always there to reach out His hand to us in our time of great need, you simply need to ask.

Finally they get back into the boat. Our sinful human-ness, once reunited with God, is joined back with Him in the boat, and all is calm again. Many theologians teach that the boat (or Bark) is an analogy for the church, litterally, the stable ground in the unstable sea of sin and trouble. This is why we need the church, because it sustains us in our time of need, and it is always a safe place to be in our time in the storm, and if we are in that boat (or chruch) with Jesus, then all will be fine, and the storm will be abated outside. It is also where we are fed, and given the courage, and protection we need to go out again and face another week in the storm. And we ultimately start this whole cycle over again. This passage beautifully describes the christian life and give us the tools we need to fight the fear in the time of the storm.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Oh lord, help me today to keep my eyes on you and the not be swept away by the storm. Amen.