Weekly Reflection 8/9/2020

Today’s Gospel is so familiar to us the we even use the image to categorize people that we categorize as perfect or who want us to appear perfect.  How many of us have used the phrase, “What, do you want on water?” or “Look, here comes the water walker!”  Odd that we would take such a great moment of revelation of Jesus and turn it into something of mockery.  Have you ever wondered, why did Jesus walk on the sea of Galilee that night?  We know that this occurred the day after Jesus had learned of the death of John the Baptist.  Jesus in an attempt to get away from it all tries to go to a deserted place only to be follow by thousands hungry for what he has to offer and He ministers to them all day, and physically feeds them with the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fish.  It was a long day and to replenish himself in prayer he sends His disciples ahead of him.  He performed a miracle in front of his disciples but do they really understand who he is? Those thousand came in search of many things including healing. These men in the boat, still don’t fully grasp who is in their midst.  Why did Jesus walk on the water? To show His disciples that the very thing they feared, the raging sea, was merely a set of steps for Jesus to come to them. “Do not be afraid” He says to them and that really is the message to us; do not be afraid. Often we fear the difficult experiences of life such as illness, loss of loved ones, and financial hardships only to discover that these experiences can bring Jesus closer to us. But like Peter we have to do something, we have to reach out to Jesus even when we feel like we are drowning.  Jesus is there for us. We don’t have to believe that we can walk on water.  We have to believe that Jesus, the Son of God, walked on water and regardless of how destructive the storm, He will always be there for us.

Deacon Chuck Hoppe