In today’s Gospel, we imagine ourselves in the boat as we struggle against the tempest at sea. The boat is the Church, protected by the Holy Spirit, with the apostles at the helm to help us navigate the many difficulties and challenges in our lives. Yet, we quickly learn that the apostles are very much like us. They experienced the ups and downs of life, with life’s joys and sorrows, but what we can learn from the apostles is perseverance in faith, particularly our belief and trust in God, finding hope in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Jesus waking on the water and coming toward us reminds us that he can calm the tempest in our lives when we turn to him in faith and cry out to him, saying: “Lord, save me!” as Peter did. Jesus walking on water and coming toward us also reminds us that in the midst of our challenges and difficulties that we experience in life, Jesus never ceases to command us to “take courage [and] do not be afraid” and come and follow him always. This is what it means to “deny” ourselves [to deny our fears, doubts, and insecurities], “take up our cross” [our burdens and sufferings], and “come follow” him (Matthew 16:24), walking always by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus walking on the water and coming toward us reminds us that he is and will always be there with outstretched hands to catch us when we fall under the heavy burdens that we can experience in our life, for his yolk is easy and his burden light (Matthew 11:30).
Pope Benedict XIV reflected on this Gospel passage, saying: “St Augustine, imagining that he was addressing the Apostle, commented: the Lord “leaned down and took you by the hand. With your strength alone you cannot rise. Hold tight to the hand of the One who reaches down to you” (En. in Ps. 95, 7: PL 36, 1233), and he did not say this to Peter alone but also to us” (8/7/2011). Moreover, Pope Francis said: “When we receive Holy Communion we experience that Jesus is with us both spiritually and physically. . . He (Jesus) says to you, ‘I am with you’ but not in words but in a gesture, in that act of love which is the Eucharist. . . You, too, can then communicate and say to the Lord, ‘Lord Jesus, I am with you,’ not only in words but with your heart, with your body and your life” (7/31/2024).
And so, when we come up for Holy Communion, it is us telling Jesus to command us to come to him. Jesus replies to us, saying: “Come.” Jesus calls us to himself, giving of his Body and Blood in the Eucharist to give us the courage not to be afraid and be strengthened for the many difficulties and challenges that we may experience in life. My sisters and brothers, we are truly blessed that through Baptism, we are beloved sons and daughters of the Father, members of the Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in which we receive grace from the Holy Spirit to “take courage and not be afraid,” because God is with us, Jesus saves us, and the Holy Spirit protects us.
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