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Message from Fr. Tony 06.20.21
In this Sunday’s Gospel, after the great miracle of the Multiplication of the
Loaves, we see another miracle: Jesus walks on water. The miracle here is not so much the “on the water”; part, but the
walking part. Here the disciples on the boat were; “frightened by the waves”; with the wind against them. This is not the
only time that the disciples are in trouble at sea, scared, except that this time Jesus is not with them. Alone and in the rough
sea, we can imagine their fear and their cry for help.
The Lord comes to them, walking. Not running, no rush or panic. He comes to them calmly, walking on the sea in the
midst of the storm. And the lesson is clear: For God, there are no problems, and in Him, there is no fear.
Peter, full of joy at seeing the Lord, but still fearful, says: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters”.
And so, with great confidence and faith in the Lord, he begins to walk on the water too. But then he took his eyes off
Jesus, and that’s when he got into trouble.
Peter sees how strong the wind had become and his fear returns, and he begins to sink. Jesus reaches out and catches
Peter. Jesus says: “Oh, you of little faith, why did you hesitate”?
Life is filled with storms, but the Lord is our great shelter and protector. He brings peace, quiet, serenity, calm, and
courage. If we call on Him, we will hear Him say: “Have courage, it is I. Do not be afraid”.
Only then do the winds die down. The lesson we learn is simple: In the midst of difficulty, we need to keep our eyes on
Jesus. He will come to us walking, calmly, and will extend His hand towards us if we are afraid. Jesus walks in our midst
today. He has given us much, despite our little faith and our frequent doubts. The message in today’s gospel is clear: “Be
not afraid.” Fr. Tony