In many ways the first disciples mirror our own faith journey. In today’s Gospel the disciple Peter is both a man of faith and a man of little faith. He shows his faith and trust in Jesus when Jesus invites him to come to him walking on the water. However, when Peter sees the waves and feels the strong winds, he becomes terrified and calls out, “Lord, save me!”. Jesus saves him but also challenges him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
The first disciples, like all of us, are fallible followers of Jesus. At times they show great faith and trust in Jesus but at other times despite what they have heard and seen they misunderstand and doubt. Jesus was patient with the first disciples, and he is patient with each of us disciples. A disciple is a student, a follower of Jesus. Some of the lesson that Jesus teaches us are hard to comprehend because he is teaching the ways of God. In Isaiah the prophet God tells us:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways—oracle of the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55: 8-9)
Jesus shows us the mind of God and guides us to know and understand the thoughts and ways of God. Ultimately our faith journey calls us to trust not in our own ability and goodness but to trust in the great love of God. As we heard in this past Sunday’s reading, nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39).
Our faith journey leads us to the love of God and to know and experience the love that God has for each one of us. This love of God revealed to us in Christ Jesus our Lord leads us from fear to faith, from despair to hope and trust. We cry out, “Lord, save me” and God responds: “I am here” as we hear in the words of the Eucharistic prayer at mass:
“You are indeed Holy and to be glorified, O God, who love the human race and who always walk with us on the journey of life.” (Eucharistic Prayer for Various Needs IV).
Image: “IMG_3010M Pierre Paul Rubens 1577-1640 Anvers. Jésus marchant sur les eaux. Jesus walking on the waters. Vers 1618 Nancy Musée des Beaux Arts” by jean louis mazieres is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.