[1]In any good,
healthy relationship, there must be reciprocity. We expect our friends,
significant others, etc., to reciprocate our attention and investment. When we
invite them out to do something, at some point, in order for the relationship
to continue, they must invest and invite us back. Right? We can quickly grow
tired of a relationship if it is always at our request. It’s exhausting and
makes the relationship feel fake when we feel like we are the only one who
cares.
God invites us to accept him. He invites us to love him.
Jesus invites us to believe in the power of his life, death and resurrection. Everything
we experience with God starts with God’s invitation to “Come”.[2]
Just prior to today’s first reading, Elijah, has defeated Queen
Jezebel’s prophets, and out of fear for his life runs away. At his lowest point
we find Elijah seated under a broom tree where “He prayed for death: ‘This is
enough, O Lord! Take my life.’” (1Kgs 19:4) But God invites him come to Horeb
where Elijah takes shelter in a cave. Then
God invites him to come “outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” (1Kgs
19:11) There God has a lesson for him.
Visible phenomena that regularly accompany God, are not God, who is
found in silence, barely perceptible, but nonetheless present. Although Elijah’s role as God’s prophet
endangers him, God’s protecting presence is with him, even when he cannot see
it, yet, he must learn to trust in it.
Similarly, as Jesus approaches the boat during the fourth
watch of the night, walking on the sea, in the midst of the chaos of a storm. The disciples are struck with fear. Jesus
identifies himself and uses a phrase used often in scripture, “do not be
afraid”. (Mt 14:27) Peter challenges Jesus to prove his identity by commanding him
to come to Jesus on the water. Jesus simply says, “Come.” (Mt 14:29) We know the rest of the story, Peter
exits the boat, walks toward Jesus, then is distracted by the wind and the
waves he begins to sink, when Jesus stretches out his hand saying, “O you of little faith, why did you
doubt?” (Mt 14:31)
Now, imagine being the guys in the boat watching Peter and
Jesus, outside the boat, standing on water, having a conversation about faith?
I can image Jesus sharing something like this with Peter, “you know before we
go back to the boat, we’re going to have a conversation right here in the
middle of the storm, on the water, because I want you to learn how to trust
Me!” I’m sure most of us would rather
have that conversation back in the boat, right? But Jesus says there’s no need
to get back into the boat because you’re exactly where you need to be…having a
conversation with Me![3]
We all run into big storms in our lives. Sometimes the wind gets so strong and the
waves so high that we feel like we’re not making any headway or flat out sinking.
Often, we tend to feel uncomfortable with God’s seeming silence, losing
patience, or being distracted by our personal, communal, & national storms.
Just trying to go on seems as pointless as trying to walk on water. The eternal “Come” can be so quiet that we
have to tune our spiritual senses to perceive it, for in the bedlam of life, we
may miss it.
Peter may have been the first one out of the boat, but
Jesus’ invitation to “Come” walk on the water is for us as well. This is where we will meet him: out where the
sea is high and the footing impossible.
As a follower of Jesus, we want to go where he calls us, but what does
it mean to walk on water?
In his book, “If You Want to Walk on Water You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat”, John Ortberg writes: “Walking on water means facing our fears and choosing not to let fear have the last word; Walking on water means discovering and embracing the unique calling of God in our life; and Walking on water means experiencing the power of God in our life to do something we would not be capable of doing on our own.”[2]
The invitation to “Come” is reciprocal. God’s “Come” enfolds our entire being. We are wanted, God desires us on earth and we are sought to be with Him in heaven. Wouldn’t we want to be more like Peter? To have the courage and audacity to ask to come to Jesus, with the faith to get out of the comfort of our boat, leaving fear behind, to do something extraordinary. It starts by accepting God’s invitation to “Come”.
[1] New American Bible, Saint Joseph Edition. © 1986. Scriptures: 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a; Romans 9:1-5;
Matthew 14:22-33.
[2] Prayingatmidnight.com. “Ask to Get Out of the
Boat” by Brea, May 24, 2019.
[3] Heartstone Journey. “Stepping Out of the Boat” by Tim Young. November 13, 2018.
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