The 5 Ws of Walking on Water. The 5 W questions of who, what, when, where, and why help us better understand the important parts of any story. During the story of Peter walking on water to Jesus through the storm, these questions had to be swirling around in Peter’s head and heart. In Peter, the first disciple, we are meant to see ourselves as disciples. So, Jesus also calls us to step out in faith in different ways during the stormy circumstances of our own lives. As we do so, these same questions may be swirling around in our heads and hearts today. Let’s start with the first question Peter and each of us often ask:
- Why – Why am I in another storm, God?
The storm in Peter’s story is, of course, symbolic of the difficulties or times of trial in our own lives. Today’s Gospel reading was actually the second time Peter found himself in a boat at sea during a terrible storm because of Jesus. This time, while Jesus is off praying on the mountaintop, the disciples start to realize they are in for yet another turbulent trip through a storm. As the night sky grows dark, a violent storm sweeps across the sea.
The realization then sinks in that being a disciple of Jesus does not guarantee smooth sailing, quite the opposite actually. It was Jesus after all who made the disciples get in the boat and head out on the sea in the first place, but why does Jesus do this the disciples must wonder. Jesus sends his disciples into the storms of this world to remind us that we are in need and that we have a savior whose power and mercy are beyond all comprehension.
Jesus sets us in the boat during the storm not to punish us, but to prepare us. Jesus knows that we must be prepared with a strong faith in Him to get to our ultimate destination. He also knows that if our faith has not been tested, then it cannot be trusted. So to test our faith, he protects us from what we thought we wanted and blesses us with what we didn’t know we needed. He protects us from smoothly sailing through life mistakenly thinking we can get where we need to go on our own and he blesses us with storms, not as a burden but instead as an integral part of the process of getting us to our ultimate destination. The storm and every created thing are meant to strengthen our faith and draw us closer to Jesus because he is the one taking us to where we need to go next. - When – When should I trust my instincts?
Peter shows us that trust is a must and that we should trust our instincts when our instincts are to want to do what Jesus does and when our instincts are to call on Jesus when we are in need. Peter’s instincts are to want to do what Jesus does. That’s because true disciples don’t just listen to their teacher, they actually do what the teacher does. We see this when Jesus is walking on the water toward the boat and Peter says to Jesus, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus believes Peter can walk on the water too, so Jesus says to Peter “come.” The other disciples are sitting back in the boat probably thinking to themselves “Whoa, Peter is really going overboard with this whole disciple trying to do what Jesus does thing.” But Peter goes for it. He gets out of the boat and begins to walk on the water toward Jesus.
Then, in the middle of this miraculous walk on the water, something changes in Peter. He lets his focus shift to the strong winds and stormy circumstances around him. This results in him second-guessing his instincts. Peter becomes frightened and he begins to sink like a rock. St. Teresa of Avila says, “I have often thought that St. Peter lost nothing by throwing himself into the sea, even though later he was afraid. These first impulses are a great thing.” You see, even though Peter’s faith is weak, his instincts are right. Even in his fall, Peter still does the right thing: he calls on Jesus. If we, like Peter, cry out to Jesus saying, “Lord, help me,” our divine lifeguard who walks on water will stretch out his hand and catch us saving us too. - Where – Where is my weight problem coming from?
As Peter sank, he had what St. Augustine would have referred to as a weight problem. St. Augustine said, “my weight is my love.” What he means by this is that the true gravity of our person is determined by what we love to feed, because what we feed grows. If we love to feed on fear, negativity, and the concerns of this world, then that will grow within us, weighing us down and making us sink like a rock.
If we love to feed on Jesus, our faith and trust in Jesus will grow while our fear will starve to death. The result is the weight of who we are will rise above the water. So, we must stop identifying ourselves with what frightens us, and we must start identifying ourselves with who saves us. We do this when we stop telling God how big our storm is and we start telling the storm how big our God is. We have this choice to make: focus on the storm and sink or focus on Jesus and rise above the waters as we step out in faith. - What – What is Jesus trying to transform in my life today?
As Peter and Jesus get into the boat, we see Jesus’ power to transform on full display. The stormy circumstances that were swirling around Peter trying to distract him from walking on water are transformed as the wind and waves grow weary and dissipate. The boat is also transformed from being a place full of fear and anxiety into being a place full of faith and peace.
This boat has actually been transformed into the Church where Peter and the other disciples worship Jesus with their profession of faith saying “truly, you are the Son of God.” Finally, Peter has been transformed as well. Just moments before he lost focus and faith and began to sink like a rock. Now, Peter, the rock, and the boat, the church, have been transformed and the foundation has been set for Jesus to later make this statement to Peter, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.” - Who – Who am I to walk on water?
Whether we like to admit it or not, the truth is, each of us is a lot like Peter. Jesus knows our flaws. He knows how quickly we can lose faith and start sinking, but Jesus also knows our potential. He knows that we were made to step out in faith and do amazing things like walking on water. Jesus is calling each of us disciples in a unique way today. Maybe he is calling you to step out in faith to become a missionary, a nun, a priest, a deacon; or he could be calling you to become a parent, a business owner, or simply to become a more faithful follower who believes in Jesus and his teachings even when the winds of the secular world try to push you off the path Jesus is calling you to walk. The enemy wants the winds of fear and doubt to blow you off course and sink you.
Instead, focus on Jesus and let him respond to this question for you: “Who are you to walk on water?” Keep your gaze fixed on Jesus as he looks directly into your eyes today saying, “You are a beloved child of God. You playing small with your life does not serve God or the world. Your life is in my hands and I am greater than whatever stormy circumstances surround you today. Through your baptism, you became a new creation who is wonderfully made. You were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within you. I created you and call you to do something special and I give you the power to do it. When you do the amazing things I call you to do, you give your brothers and sisters permission to do the same. I believe that you can do what I do. You are a true disciple of the Son of God. Following in my footsteps, means you, like Peter, were made to step out in faith and walk on the water too.”
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A – August 9, 2020
Mass Readings:
Reading 1: 1 KGS 19:9A, 11-13A
Psalm: PS 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14
Reading 2: ROM 9:1-5
Gospel: MT 14:22-33