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Peter got out of the boat and began to walk towards Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was, he became frightened and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Matthew 14:29-31
Peter’s encounter with Jesus is so much like our own. Jesus sends the disciples out on the sea alone. When the wind and the waves get rough, Jesus is there with them – right where they are, at sea.
They are afraid, fearing it’s a ghost. Isn’t this so often the case with us? No matter how rough the seas we might be, we tend to be skeptical of believing Jesus could really be with us. Am I just imagining He is with me? Is he really here, in the midst of this?
Peter gets some courage. “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” So, Peter gets out of the boat.
How is Jesus calling us to step out of the boat of our comfortable middle class suburban lifestyle to serve the needy? It could simply be stopping to have a conversation with a homeless person on the street. Having someone recognize their humanity and treat them with compassion is probably worth more than whatever spare change we might give them. Volunteering at House of Bread or ImmaCare requires a sacrifice of time. But it will bring us into contact with people we might otherwise avoid. And we just might find ourselves encountering Jesus in the stormy lives of people who are less fortunate.
Those are just two examples of ways we can step out in a storm to follow Jesus. You could probably think of others from your own lives or from the world around you. Whichever situation is causing you discomfort or anxiety right now is most likely the storm that God is calling you out to.
Jesus has power over the storm. No matter how much noise the wind makes or how high the waves get, Jesus promises to keep us safe. As long as we keep our eyes on Him, we will be able to do anything, and lives will be changed because of it – especially our own.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Shawn
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