XIX Sunday Ord Time (A) 2020 Out of God’s great love for us come great miracles Readings: I Kings 19: 9a, 11-13 / Psalm 85 / Romans 9: 1-5 / Matthew 14: 22-33
While the public ministry of Jesus might have been only three years, the whole time is marked by movement and activity: moments of teaching, healing, feeding and praying. To put it simply, the whole time is a steady stream of expressions of love, made visible in simple gestures and words as well as by great miracles.
In today’s reading from chapter 14 of the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus has concluded one major miracle, the feeding of the multitude, and does another, walking on the stormy sea. However, in both instances, he does not appear to be in a hurry or show signs of any worry. Through it all, while the Lord does these amazing things, he still comes across as being at ease.
Rather than being at ease, Jesus is at peace. He is being faithful to his Heavenly Father; he is satisfying our needs – bodily and spiritually, bringing to fruition our salvation. Even though the actual activity is supernatural and seems constantly moving, Christ is doing what he wants to do most: give us his love. He radiates peace.
Being caught in a storm on an inland sea, the disciples not only struggled to cross that body of water, they likely wondered if their end was near. They were not radiating peace but cried out in fear. Meanwhile, Jesus was in the same dangerous environment, but he seemed to be on a totally distinct plane of existence. Even so, one of them in the boat was able to see through his fear and longed for what he saw in the Lord Jesus out on the waves.
Was St. Peter testing Jesus? Was he so frightened that the only way to overcome his fear and doubt was to seek to do something supernatural? Jesus did not ask, he simply responded, “Come.” Peter asked Jesus to command that he walk on the water. Instead, he simply invited Peter to get out of the boat and walk towards him. Sufficient faith in the heart of Peter and Christ’s sincere invitation spurred the apostle to leave the security of the boat. However, as the good Lord teaches him and us, more is necessary, more is at stake.
In his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei, the Light of Faith, Pope Francis helps us to appreciate the dynamic of faith at work in this moment in how Peter longs for Christ and seeks the peace and security that he offers, but also struggles with his human limitations. Faith is not just belief; it is commitment to Christ. Pope Francis writes:
“Faith does not merely gaze at Jesus, but sees things as Jesus himself sees them, with his own eyes: it is a participation in his way of seeing. We "believe" Jesus when we accept his word, his testimony, because he is truthful. We "believe in" Jesus when we personally welcome him into our lives and journey towards him, clinging to him in love and following in his footsteps along the way” (18).
Notice that the Lord does not command the seas to calm, but simply calls Peter to get out of the boat and walk on the water to come to him. Peter is called and invited to walk in the midst of crashing waves and roaring winds, just as Jesus is doing. Jesus walks on the water of the sea, but he doesn’t flatten the waves. He walks firmly and clearly in the midst of a powerful storm and invites Peter to do the same.
Jesus invites Peter to come not to imitate him, but to come to a deeper trust in God. Perhaps we can recognize an essential aspect of faith that is occurring. In the midst of trial, the storms and buffeting headwinds of life, the good Lord calls us beyond ourselves and our fears and prejudices; he calls us to be closer to him.
What Christ gives us is strength and faith to overcome the obstacles and difficulties that come upon us. Yes, Jesus does miraculous things that are supernatural, beyond the natural. All of them are for our good and the furtherance of his mission, our salvation.
The greatest miracles and acts of God are those which change lives: those that heal, reconcile, and open our minds and hearts to love. Christ does not seek to alter reality or creation. While in this miraculous moment he saved Peter from drowning, he showed the disciples that fear can be overcome through faith.
For us, miracles are great supernatural occurrences caused by Christ, but for him they are expressions of love. Always keep in mind that the great miraculous deeds of the Lord Jesus are not done to impress anyone, but to impress upon us the significance of the power of his love and concern for us.