August 9, 2026
I am on vacation this weekend away from Naples but offer these thoughts for those following.
First Kings 19: 11-13 + Psalm 85 + Romans 9: 1-5 + Matthew 14: 22-33
Like Matthew, both John’s Gospel and Mark join this story of Jesus walking on water to the feeding of the multitude. For the early church to which Matthew is writing, a church mostly of Jewish converts, the memory of Israel’s experience of the sea, wilderness, and the manna would be very much alive in their hearing of this story. The part about Peter and the ending with that sudden and extraordinary proclamation of faith is Mattew’s addition to this traditional story.
Often the Gospels report Jesus withdrawing from the demands around him to pray. What we may not have noticed is that these times often correspond to the disciples getting themselves into trouble. Last week we heard of Jesus withdrawing as the news about John the Baptist reached him. But before he can withdraw, he feeds the multitude and then sends the disciples off on their own finally getting some time to himself. A crisis erupts, and the disciples are in trouble without Jesus. They are really a mess when Jesus is gone, and so are we and our Church.
The part about Peter speaks to all of us, I believe. Walking on the water is his idea. He thinks he can do it on his own, and we see what happens when any of us try to do something without Jesus. He is between faith and fear. He walks and he sinks. He trusts and then doubts. Don’t we all find ourselves going back and forth between trust and fear, faith and doubt? Yet, Jesus invites us to come to him, but when do and it gets a little stormy or rough, we wonder if we did the right thing, and we cry out: “Lord, save me.” Fear is the danger here, and fear is very real.
Focusing on Jesus may not necessarily do anything to calm the storm. No amount of faith may end difficult times. No trust may calm the fears of anyone who comes to realize how vulnerable and fragile life is. No amount of prayer is guaranteed to calm the storms that sometimes rage in every one of our lives and homes.
Nevertheless, what Jesus said then, he says today: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Even in the face of fear, we might all risk taking one more step to Jesus Christ. Without him we have very little to offer this world, while with him there is little else we need.