Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 “But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened . . .”

Today’s Gospel passage is very familiar to us. 

Each of us probably has our own unique mental image of what this situation looked like --- the boat, the strong winds, the Lord walking on water, the fear of a ghost, and Peter trying to respond to the simple (but direct) call of Jesus, to “Come.”

It’s easy to once again roll our eyes at Peter --- the one who seems to get it wrong as often as he gets it right.  Yet, think for a minute about what Peter was willing to do --- walk on water toward the Lord.  It’s not just admirable --- it’s astounding, almost unbelievable, and courageous. Yet Peter did. It’s important to realize that Peter doesn’t falter immediately.  The text says that he began to walk toward Jesus.  How far did he get?  A couple of steps?   Ten?  Twenty?  Who knows?  The point is --- at first things go well, but then things start to go south . . . .

So what went wrong?

“But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened . . .”

Fear steps in and THEN he began to sink. 

The order of events is important. 

1) Peter is eager to listen to Jesus and follow what he says. 

2) Peter courageously steps out in faith. 

3) Peter makes some progress. 

4) Peter becomes afraid. 

5) Peter begins to sink. 

This Gospel story is not first and foremost about a “miracle” that our Lord performed.  It’s really about faith --- specifically, the journey of faith --- a journey each of us is on.  A journey that even the Church as a whole is on.  You see, what happened to Peter happens to us all the time --- It happens in our day-to-day practical, ordinary decisions, and in the decisions we make that are driven by what we believe. Like Peter, our hearts are often in the right place.  But then something often starts to get ahold of us, something starts to have an undue influence on the choices we make. 

So what goes wrong?

“But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened . . .”

Fear steps in and things begin to go south.  One could argue that if a person never had fear of any kind, something must be wrong.  It’s part and parcel of being human.  We have many basic needs (and are usually very aware of them) --- food, shelter, safety, employment, health, love --- you name it.  And when any of those things are in jeopardy --- we will almost always experience fear.  The problem, of course, is when fear and anxiety becomes the voices we listen to above all others, when they become our greatest and most influential motivation.  When we let that happen --- bad things generally happen as evidenced by Peter that windy night on the water.   If fear is the “why” behind the things we do, we can be pretty sure that we will start to sink amid the storms of life.  Jesus wants us to let Him, not our fear, call the shots.  He tried to assure the disciples and us today that everything would ultimately be ok. 

“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

And for a short while, those words were enough. But then the loud voice of fear began to drown them out and affect their actions.  The words of Jesus no longer had the disciples’ hearts nor their attention. 

That’s when things got dicey. 

Jesus doesn’t force us to listen to him.  He doesn’t simply shout louder and louder until we no longer have any choice but to pay attention.   No, sometimes he’s just that calm, constant, gentle, reassuring, “whispering sound” that Elijah heard on Mount Horeb.  Jesus, in his wisdom, knows the only place we will be safe is in the boat with Him, in his loving embrace, and his tender care.  If we listen to anyone or anything but Him, we run the risk of sinking.  And so today is a day for each of us to examine the role fear plays in the decisions we make.  And it’s not so important to pray for a complete lack of fear.  That’s probably a complete impossibility.  Rather, let’s pray for the ability, when life’s challenges and disappointments and storms come our way, respond in faith to the only voice that really matters, the voice that is saying to you and to me this day,

“Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Deacon Larry McDonald