First Reading Jeremiah 28:1-17
Psalm Ps. 119:29.43.79.80.95.102 (R. 68b)
Gospel Matthew 14:22-36
Dear friends, we continue our reflection on some of the miracles of Jesus as relayed by Matthew. Yesterday, Matthew treated the feeding of the five thousand men, save children and women. Today, with John the Baptist's death and the feeding of the people as precedent, we hear another spectacular narrative, which I believe, we are familiar with. This is about Jesus' act of walking on the sea. In any case, we are continue from yesterday.
We find Jesus, after feeding the people, sending them away while he himself goes into solitude to pray. The disciples were in a boat crossing to the other side. The next time we hear about Jesus was on the lake of Gennesaret or the Sea of Galilee walking on it.
Jesus' act of walking on the sea establishes his power even over nature. This communicates his Supremacy over creation. With this mode of communication, he saved three groups of people.
The first group relates to Peter's doubt. Today's Gospel informs us about the fact that Thomas was not the only apostle noted to be in the business of doubt. There still will remain that secondary thought which impels us to act just to confirm whatever experience come our way. It is good to doubt but a doubt which tends to be destructive and obstructive to faith, seeming to plunge us into the depths of unbelief should, at all cost, be avoided because they sometimes seek to destroy faith, rather than nourish it. They constitute the dart of salvation. Some doubts are purposeful in which case they lead us to discover more. This, I believe, happened to Peter. How, then, do we react to situations?
The second group resonates well with the disciples in the boat. These ones believed without a second thought. They replaced their conception of a ghost with Jesus' self identification. Thus, “it is I”. This is another reaction to situations. This group, while watching the resultant of Peter's action had an add-on to their faith in which case they bowed down to Jesus while affirming his Divinity and he being the Son God. Thus, “Truly, you are the Son of God”.
The third group of people were the people of Gennesaret. These ones, awaiting the coming of Jesus to their area, brought out the sick, the lame, the blind, and in fact, all who were afflicted in any way to experience Jesus' salvation. These ones spread the news throughout the whole neighbourhood about Jesus' arrival. Note that Jesus was sometimes denied entrance into some areas. He was once sent away. Here is a third reaction.
Today, we ask the Lord to increase our faith and help us to react in situations worth them.
Amen.
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the Light of the Word and the Spirit f Grace. And may the Heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen) Amen.
Pax et Bonum
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