Following Him

Today's Gospel reading was Matthew 14:22-33, and this was one of those stories that I just could not believe when I was younger.

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

When we were kids, we sometimes would try to walk across the water of my best friend's swimming pool. We never got very far. At first we assumed it was due to our lack of faith, but as we got older, we began to believe that the whole idea of people walking on water had been proven impossible by our personal experience and by what we had learned by studying the laws of physics and chemistry. Its a good thing the second temptation of Christ was handled the way it was in Matthew 4:5-6 or else kids might be tempted to try to jump off of tall buildings.

My denial of Christ in denying this miracle occured before I re-discovered that simple faith of childhood. The faith that returns in a glimpse, or in a lightning bolt, a faith that grows with the understanding of the revelation that for someone who can rise from the grave, nothing is impossible. Indeed, to say that Jesus could not walk on the water would be to deny Him, and that is something I can no longer do.

Now, wherever He goes, there isn't an ocean too deep, I will follow Him.



Yeah, I know this was used in "Sister Act," but it just so happens that the oldies station was playing this version as I was working on this post.