We hear the story of Jesus walking on the water today. Peter, the impulsive man he was, asks Jesus to bid him to come to Him on the water. Peter does well until he became aware of just how strong the wind was blowing and became frightened and then he begins to sink into the water. This is where Peter must quickly decide who to call upon for help and he wisely asks Jesus to save him. We may look at this action of Peter and roll our eyes at his impulsive action. Once again, Peter makes a move without really thinking things through; what will be the consequences of my action? William Barclay, in his book, “The New Daily Study Bible,” states: “Peter’s whole trouble was that he was ruled by his heart; and,
We may look at this action of Peter and roll our eyes at his impulsive action. Once again, Peter makes a move without really thinking things through; what will be the consequences of my action?
William Barclay, in his book, “The New Daily Study Bible,” states: “Peter’s whole trouble was that he was ruled by his heart; and, however, he might sometimes fail, his heart was always in the right place and the instinct of his heart was always love.”
Yes, Peter failed, but he knew where to turn when he failed; to Jesus. If we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that we each fail to follow Jesus perfectly. Yet when we find ourselves in a precarious situation, separated from Him, we, like Peter, simply need to seek Jesus for help. Be it a serious sin and a trip to confession or a minor slip up, we can seek Jesus knowing He will always be there, waiting patiently, ready to accept us if we are sincerely sorrowful and determined to avoid that sin again. This is the beauty of our Church and the sacraments! This is the beauty of God’s love for us!
Barclay states; “a saint is not someone who never fails; a saint is someone who after a fall gets up and goes on again every time.” So Peter had
“little” faith as Jesus states, but at least he had faith! Faith is what has brought us to Mass; faith is what draws us closer to Jesus. Our “little” faith can grow if we place our trust in Him.
God bless,
Deacon Ray
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