One of my family’s favorite activities for the summer was going to the river. We would go to “El Chorro,” which was about a mile and half away from my grandmother’s house. When we arrived, we would have a nice barbeque, play games, and, of course, enjoy the fresh water. I remember that when I was about eight or nine years old, on one of our trips there, my father decided that it was about time for me to learn how to swim. The method he used, although a bit extreme, was highly effective. He would trick me by saying: “let us take a ride,” and he would take me on a float to a rock that stuck out in the deeper part of the river, about ten to fifteen feet from the riverbank.
Then, he would swim back to riverbank with the floater, stand there, extend his arms toward me, and say in a loud voice, “Come, swim. I am waiting for you right here!” At first, I was confused. It was daunting to see the dark waters that separated me from my father. I felt kind of alone and abandoned on that rock. Even if it was not a long distance, I was terrified. However, seeing my father there, waiting for me, gave me courage. Somehow, I knew that, since he was there, nothing could happen to me.
Eyes Fixed
Full of fear, I jumped in the water and started desperately moving my arms and kicking, trying to advance toward the riverbank. As long as I kept looking forward and saw my father, I kept advancing. When I thought about what I was doing, I was hit by a sense of fear and anxiety. I am sure that if I had concentrated on myself and on the dark waters, I would have sunk for sure! But fixing my eyes on my father helped me to cross the deeper part of the river and to arrive at the riverbank. And, in the process, I learned how to swim. I believe this is the same experience that Peter has in today’s gospel.
Do Not Fear
Much like my father, the Lord “made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side of the sea.” Apparently, He leaves them alone as they eventually faced the power of the waves and the wind that was against them. However, he appears in the middle of the storm, “walking on the sea,” and saying, probably in a loud voice like my father did to me, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid.”
Of all those in the boat, Peter listened to the words of Jesus with particular attention. Certain of His power, he responds by saying: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” I am sure that, as he heard the Lord say “Come,” he was filled with the same trust I had when I saw my father on the riverbank calling me to swim toward him.
Indeed, as we read in today’s gospel, “Peter goes out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.” As long as his eyes were fixed on Jesus, he was able to tread upon the powerful waves and to be unfaced by the winds that were blowing against him. However, there is a moment in which he turns his sight toward himself, and he begins to sink and to experience anguish and fear. He cries to the Lord, and the Lord saves him calling him out by saying, “O, you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
The Lord clearly affirms that faith consists in keeping our eyes fixed on Him in times when we are facing the waves of our daily battles and the winds of our problems and sufferings. When we face these circumstances, it is useless to look at ourselves. We do not have the power to defeat our problems on our own. If we face them like this we would only sink and experience fear and anguish.
Similar Situations
I am sure that you have faced or are facing situations in your lives that are similar to the powerful waves and the strong wind that threatened the disciples. Also, like me in “El Chorro,” there are situations that are daunting. They may leave you perplexed and full of fear. I invite you all to fix your eyes on the Lord. He is calling you to Him. He invites you to experience, with Him, you can walk over the waters of death. And you can withstand the winds of adversity and difficulties. Let us ask the Lord to help us believe that He is always calling us to walk toward Him. Thus, we will be able, on every occasion, to arrive at the other shore. The shore of peace, serenity, and happiness. May the Lord bless you all!
P.S. Please join me in praying for Father Justino, as he chaperones a group of youth to Rome for Jubilee Festivities.
I loved this comparison: As long as I kept looking forward and saw my father, I kept advancing. When I thought about what I was doing, I was hit by a sense of fear and anxiety. I am sure that if I had concentrated on myself and on the dark waters, I would have sunk for sure! But fixing my eyes on my father helped me to cross the deeper part of the river and to arrive at the riverbank, and, in the process, I learned how to swim. I believe this is the same experience that Peter has in today’s gospel.
Thank you for your post. I will use your story in my Bible study.