Reflection on the Gospel of the Tuesday In The Eighteenth Week In Ordinary Time
Matthew 14:22-36
The background to this event is the Multiplication of the Loaves of Bread and Fish.
The day is done, and it is late evening.
- Jesus has plans to go to another place to preach, teach and manifest God’s Presence through signs and wonders.
- He sends his disciples ahead in a boat.
- No one seems to be asking him, how He will join them.
- But Jesus himself is more concerned with connecting with his Father in Heaven…
The Disciples and the Sea of Galilee
- The focus is now on the Disciples in the boat
- The sea waters were considered the home of evil and spirits.
- Those in the boat find themselves in a storm
- in the dark of the night
- travelling so to speak through the valley (sea) of darkness
- And they are having a rough time
- By the time Jesus is ready to once again join his disciples
- They are far off on their way
- Jesus just starts to walk on the waters
- This highlights to us his identity
- Who can have power over the forces of nature
- And turn the rules of nature on their Head
- Only God
- And this is God – Jesus walking over the waters
- Showing that even death, water, evil, storm and darkness have to bend to his presence
- Jesus, approaches the boat
- And the Disciples are afraid
- they do not recognise him, just as Mary Magdalene did not recognise the Risen Jesus, at first
- But then, like the Garden of Gethsemane incident where Jesus address Mary’s blindness, so she can recognise Him,
- Jesus address the disciples, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
- And in both cases the blindness is gone.
- Now the Disciples recognise Him.
The Interesting Case of Peter
- Many will call Peter Smart Alec, Impetuous, etc
- But what I notice here is the dawn of faith in Peter
- If the Master can do it, so will I be able to do it.
- Let me Believe…
- Let me give it a go…
- His approach is correct
- He does not leap out of the boat unto the water, on his own understanding
- Lord can I too join you on the water…
- Jesus says. “Come”
- And Peter goes out of the boat and unto the water and slowly moves towards Jesus
- Then his focus shifts, and he begins to notice the Storm and the Water around him
- His old understanding takes grip of him
- Humanly not possible to walk on water
- Nor to survive a fierce storm, without a boat…
- he starts to sink
The Message for us today in this Gospel Reading…
- Covid-19 is here, and is ravaging lives and communities
- Turning everything upside down
- People are at the end of their rope
- They want to give up and get it over with
- I myself am in the middle of this storm
- and at times I have found my self pulling my hair
- but then I have stopped, and turned my gaze to Jesus
- looked at how kind he has been to me in the past
- and during the time of this pandemic
- And suddenly am comforted, and my strength returns to me.
I will suggest, you let Jesus into your life. Let the Storm and the Seas roar and ravage all they like, but do not shift your focus from Jesus. Let him into the boat of your life, and you will find that everything will grow still and silent around you, and you will find yourself completely satisfied and safe.
