Today is another Gospel story that relates another miracle of Jesus around the Sea of Galilee.  The Sea of Galilee is not a sea; it is a vast lake, about 32 miles in length and 17 miles in width. The Sea of Galilee is one of the famous landmarks in the Holy Land.

Many pilgrims to the Holy Land like to take a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus walked, as proclaimed in our Gospel today.  A tourist wanted such a ride and asked how much it cost.  The boatman told him the fare was a hundred dollars. A hundred dollars, the tourist exclaimed! No wonder Jesus walked on the water.

In the Gospel, Peter demonstrates enthusiasm for human frailty. Peter was a mix of risk and doubt, like you and me. It is reassuring to know that even though we doubt, Jesus still saves us.

Peter loved the Lord and trusted him. He knew that the Lord would not let the storm sweep him away. He got out of the boat and came closer to Jesus.  Peter took a risk by getting out of the boat.

The boat is a symbol of stability and comfort. 

With this, we are also asked, do we risk and step out of our comfort zone to follow Jesus? This means do we create something new, renew ourselves, or live in an open system rather than a closed system that allows us to move to a new level of consciousness of the things around us? Sometimes, we are trapped in our habits, in a place of comfort, afraid to be renewed and take risks to better our lives.  And often do not get out because we want a tremendous sense of stability and comfort.

 It is a gift not to be stable and always to find something new in our life because it allows us to be unrestrained in our creativity. Our faith and religious belief lose their power to transform our lives when it no longer relates to the concrete and lived reality of the world. This is so much what Jesus did; He transforms and creates something new.

Like Peter, getting out of the comfort zone and following the Lord is not a walk in the park. Faith does not guarantee a good life.  We have ups and downs. For the Lord God does not promise tomorrow; He promises only eternity.  But there is a guarantee that Jesus will always stretch his arm in our difficult moments. He is always interested in creating relationship with us.  This relationship is the most significant source of our strength and our salvation.

Notice the first act to save Peter from drowning.  Jesus held Peter in His arms.  Jesus could have simply commanded the waves to stop because he is the sovereign of the universe, He is God, and he can control nature if he wants to.  

But notice Jesus chose to stretch his hand and hold Peter to keep him from drowning. This is a gesture of love, reassurance, and intimacy. Peter felt God’s love when Jesus came and had him and saved him from drowning.

God allows us to experience pain and brokenness.  Our challenging times may be an opportunity to focus and feel the arm of God stretching and holding us.   If we doubt it, it’s ok. Jesus rebukes Peter for his little faith. You of little faith, Jesus said.  It shows us that it does not need all that much faith to walk with Jesus. If we risk and can walk with our doubts, we can make it safely to the shore.

And like Peter, we will all pass the storm. In Jesus’ time, he will command the storm to stop and bring us back to our boat, to a place of comfort, stability, and peace.