Yet more walking on water.

The readings for Sunday August 7,2011, 8th Sunday After Pentecost:  Mainly reflecting today on Matthew 14:22-33

It is very easy to trivialize

the story of Jesus walking on the water

either by dismissing it as  a sort of fantasy story

or by simply accepting it unquestioningly.

But I would have to say that I don’t have the answers as to what is actually happening here.

My suspicion is

that the story is actually one of the challenge of faith

and of the Christian response to fear.

If, however, we put these not unimportant questions to one side

and reflect on our lives

we might discern a couple of important points.

The first is that nothing is achieved without risk.

If we are to critically assess those times in our lives when we have actually advanced

We would acknowledge that it is at times when we have been able to, as it were, step out of the boat

unsure about what might happen

that we almost always discover that we move forward.

This is the dynamic of faith

being certain that God knows what is happening

even if we can’t put it together ourselves.

The second point is that is worth noting

is that we are not always very good at stepping out of the boat;

even if we manage to do it

it may not last very long

before we start panicking

or trying to seize back control

We need to hear Jesus saying to us:

“You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

In this parish we are fortunate to have the great picture of this second dynamic

In the window at St John’s we see Jesus lifting up the doubting Peter.

So we have a second principle

the dynamic of Jesus

 Even if we can and do fail

Jesus will not let us be destroyed by our inadequacy

So desirous is God of us being faithful; that God will rescue us.

(All this seems much more important than trying to explain what is going on here)

This week 

·       Where is God inviting me to step out of my comfort zone? 

·       Can I let go of my fear and trust Jesus to sustain me? 

·       Pray for courage? 

·       Pray for faith