Jesus Walks on the Water: Four Lessons for Us
In today’s Gospel, which occurs right after the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus sends His disciples ahead of Him across the Sea of Galilee. He then spends time in prayer. As a storm hits the lake and tosses the disciples’ boat around, Jesus comes walking on the water. At first, the disciples think Jesus is a ghost. Once they recognize Jesus, Peter wants more proof. He asks if he can walk on the water like Jesus. Jesus beckons him to come. After a few steps on the water, he sinks into the water. Jesus chides Peter for his lack of faith. Once they arrive at the shore, Jesus continues His ministry to those seeking His help.
From this account, we can learn some powerful lessons that can be truly relevant to us today as we continue to struggle through this Covid-19 health and economic crisis. Here are four lessons from this miraculous story.
Jesus knows about our storms
It is amazing how Jesus somehow knew that the disciples were caught in a storm that could have very well been the end of their lives. Sometimes when we go through "storms" of our own we think that this one might have slipped under Jesus' radar. But if you are going through a storm today, Jesus is aware of it. He knows everything that is going on in your life and understands and sees your suffering.
It's easy to not recognize Jesus
As Jesus came walking to the disciple boat through the tempest that had threatened their voyage, scriptures tell us that the disciples did not recognize Him and even mistook Jesus for a ghost. As funny as that sounds, how many times have we found ourselves not recognizing Jesus or His move during a storm? Sometimes we may not recognize Him, but Jesus is on His way to rescue us from our storms.
Doubt will only cause us to sink
Saint Peter asked to walk to Jesus in the same manner as well. The first few steps worked well for Peter but when he saw the waves, he started to sink. Likewise, our doubt- as harmless as it might seem- could be the very reason we are sinking into despair and hopelessness. That is why faith and complete trust in Jesus is vital as we go through this stressful time.
Jesus helps us complete our journey
No matter how tough the journey or mission you are on is, Jesus can bring us through it. Scripture tells us that "and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going." (John 6:21) God has a plan for us but we will need His help to fulfill it. We always need to remember that ‘without Him I can do nothing but with Him there is nothing that I cannot do!’
During this Covid-19 pandemic, let us ask Jesus to protect us as we face storms of fear, anxiety and worries about the future. Experiencing Jesus’ presence in our lives, let us confess our faith in him and call out for his help and protection. For only God truly controls that which we cannot, and He is present to us in ways we will never understand.
Questions to Ponder: When I experience hard times because of the actions of others or circumstance in which I find myself, do I allow fear to overwhelm me and prevent me from being aware of the Lord Jesus’ presence in my life? How can I step out in faith in such situations, keeping my eyes on Jesus?
God bless you folks, Father Gerard.
