19 Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Bible presents the sea as both beautiful and life-giving, yet also as a symbol of chaos, danger, and forces beyond human control. In the Gospel, Jesus reveals his divine authority by walking upon the troubled waters and inviting Peter to step out of the boat and come toward him. Christ similarly calls us to enter the uncertain places of our lives with our eyes fixed on him, trusting that what appears frightening can become a place of grace, growth, and new life.
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Since I was a young kid, I have always loved the ocean. I find it beautiful simply to look at, especially when the sun is rising or setting over the water: to listen to the waves roll in, to go swimming, to go out on a boat, or to go fishing. The ocean has always had for me a sense of beauty and majesty.
At the same time, the ocean can also be a scary place. I remember rowing a small boat out into deeper water. When the water gets deep, it becomes so dark that you cannot see what is beneath you. Then your imagination begins to take over, and you start wondering what might be lurking down there in the depths.
The ocean, then, has this kind of duality. On the one hand, it is beautiful, life-giving, and good. On the other hand, it can be dangerous and chaotic.
This same understanding of the ocean is very strong in the Old Testament. It appears time and time again.
On the one hand, the sea represents chaos and danger. In the Psalms, we read about sailors terrified by storms and waves. In the opening pages of Genesis, the waters are associated with chaos. Later, in the Psalms and the Book of Job, we even hear about great sea creatures such as Leviathan and Rahab, which represent forces that threaten human beings.
At the same time, the Bible also presents the sea as something good. In Genesis 1, it is part of God's creation. It teems with living creatures and provides food. The Bible also speaks about the majesty of the sea. It is God's creation, something beautiful and life-giving.
But there is an even more important point that runs throughout the Old Testament: God is able to bring goodness, life, and salvation through the chaos and danger of the waters.
We see this clearly in two places.
First, in Genesis 1, God brings order out of the chaotic waters, and from them he creates a world filled with life.
Second, in the Book of Exodus, it is through the waters of the Red Sea that God liberates Israel from slavery. What appears to be a place of danger becomes the very place through which God saves his people.
In the Old Testament, then, the sea can represent danger and chaos, but because of God's power, it can also become a place of life and salvation.
In today's Gospel, Jesus steps, quite literally, into this biblical symbolism of the sea.
To understand what is happening, it is important to remember this Old Testament background.
Jesus has just multiplied the loaves and fed the crowd. Now his disciples are crossing the Sea of Galilee. They are in a boat surrounded by wind and waves, experiencing the danger and chaos that the sea represents.
Then, all of a sudden, Jesus comes toward them, peacefully and calmly walking across the water.
And he tells them not to be afraid.
Jesus has already shown his power by multiplying the loaves and giving food to the people. Now he reveals something even deeper about who he is.
In the Old Testament, God has power over the waters. God brings creation out of the chaotic waters, and God leads Israel safely through the Red Sea. Now Jesus shows that he possesses this same authority.
He walks upon the chaotic waters and is not overcome by them.
The Gospel is showing us something about the divinity of Christ. In the midst of chaos and fear, Jesus has the power to bring peace, goodness, and salvation.
But the story goes even further.
Jesus invites Peter to step out of the boat and come toward him.
Peter has the courage to do it. For a time, he walks toward Jesus on the water. But then he notices the wind and the waves. He becomes afraid, begins to sink, and Jesus reaches out to save him.
This becomes a powerful image for our own lives.
Each of us faces troubled or uncertain waters.
Perhaps we are going through a major life change: retirement, starting a new job, deciding to get married or have children, discerning a vocation to religious life, or taking on some new responsibility.
Perhaps the uncertainty is in one of our relationships. We may be thinking about reaching out to a family member or friend after a relationship has broken down. There is risk involved in that. We do not know how the other person will respond.
These kinds of situations can feel like troubled waters. They are uncertain, and sometimes they are frightening.
Our instinct can be to stay in the boat, to remain with what is familiar and comfortable.
But sometimes Jesus calls us out of the boat.
He invites us to enter into those uncertain situations with him.
If we always remain where we feel completely safe and comfortable, we may miss the new possibilities that Christ is placing before us.
It is often in those uncertain places that grace can come, new possibilities can arise, relationships can be healed, and our gifts can be used in new ways.
The Gospel does not tell us that the waters will always be calm. Peter still experiences the wind and the waves. The important thing is that he keeps his attention on Jesus.
The same is true for us.
When we remain close to Christ, the troubled waters of our lives can become places where God brings something good. What first appears to be only uncertainty or risk can become an opportunity for growth, peace, and new life, not only for us but also for those around us.
Jesus continues to invite us onto those waters of our lives that can seem frightening: new directions, new relationships, new responsibilities, new ways of using the gifts we have been given.
It can be more comfortable to remain in the boat.
But sometimes Christ is waiting for us out on the water.
Let us pray today for the courage to recognize his invitation, to keep our eyes fixed on him, and, when he calls us, to step out of the boat and journey with him into those uncertain waters.
