In Sunday’s Gospel, the wind blows powerfully, frighteningly, making even familiar places seem strange, stirring up the water to obscure the disciples’ vision and make their journey fearful and slow. As they face this great storm on the sea, they cry out with fear. Jesus says: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid,” and invites Peter to walk on the water to him. We often view Peter’s sinking as a failure, but in light of today’s Splash Day, maybe we can see Peter’s going under as a moment of grace and growth for him. Amid the storms of life, we gather to seek… and receive the calm presence of Christ that soothes our fears and saves us. In comforting words of scripture and in the refreshing bread and cup of the eucharist, God grants us peace and sends us forth to be a sign of God’s presence to others.
images: The Disciples See Christ Walking on the Water by Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1907. Photo by xennex. WikiArt. Public domain.