Jesus walking on water: Re-reading & Re-situating Matthew 14:22-36

		Jesus walking on water Matthew 14:22-36 By. Edwinraj, SDB
Gospel passage 22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25 And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." 28 Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." 29 He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." 34 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 After the people of that place recognized him, they sent word throughout the region and brought all who were sick to him, 36 and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.  (3 August 2021, Tuesday)  (18th Ordinary Week)		Re-reading & Re-situating When we lack the eye of faith – what is good in itself will also appear to be evil.  What does this event in the life of Jesus tells us?  In this reflection, let us concentrate on the act of faith. Let us view this incident in another perspective with some assumptions on the whole event. Jesus walking on the water represent the story of Jesus living in Palestine (in and around the countries of Judea, Jordan, Jerusalem, Jericho, Samaria, Capernaum, etc.) Jesus walked on faith in the Father very radically. He lived on divine providence, oriented himself on the Kingdom of God, while others were not able to read the nature of Christ. The natural setting of the sea were the effects of his human and divine manifestations to the people and to the disciples. Like disciples on the boat, people and the Jews saw Jesus as someone who acted different during their time. He was portrayed as terrifying, and something unreachable. To counter, Jesus exhorts the people to take heart and not to be frightened. Peter called out to Jesus, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” like Peter on the boat, 72 disciple, 12 selected disciples, women disciples, friends and well-wishers followed Jesus. Obviously, Jesus was much happy to hear this from them. He allows them to come to him. He says, “come and see”,” leave everything and follow me.” In the process of following, the disciples sometimes lacked faith, otherwise, expected a political messiah who would relieve them from the clutches of the Roman Empire. All these things made them to sink in their own perspective of thought about Jesus. Ultimately, they never expressed the true faith in Jesus. The end result was always sinking like peter, lacking faith in Jesus Christ – as Peter sinks into the sea (without recognizing that Jesus is the Messiah who came down to redeem us from our sins). Like sinking Peter, the disciples approached Jesus at time of faith crisis – “Lord, save me!” At once, Jesus hangs out to us.  We are also travelling in the same boat. The world is like the sea holding God and us. Do we recognize Jesus as someone different, unacceptable? Or Are we accepting Him as Messiah – the promised one with full faith?  The tag line is, even when we sink, He lifts us up, if we call unto Him. He never forsakes us. He is always after us like Jesus walking on the water and coming closer to the disciples in the boat.  It is rightly a call for conversion to the atheist and those still yet to believe. More so, it is a pep call for the so-called believers in Jesus Christ.