Reflection for August 3 Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 14:22-36

Gospel: Matthew 14:22-36

Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side of the sea, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. 

Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. "It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." 

Peter said to him in reply, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" 

Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God."  

After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret. When the men of that place recognized him, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought to him all those who were sick and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak, and as many as touched it were healed.

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Reflection:

What is faith in Jesus?

It is keeping our eyes fixed on Him and refusing to let anything distract us or draw our attention away from His loving presence. Faith is choosing to trust Him even when the road before us is uncertain, believing that His hand is always guiding us, even when we cannot clearly see where He is leading us.

When Peter saw Jesus walking on the water, he asked the Lord to allow him to come to Him, and Jesus graciously granted his request (Matthew 14:29–30).

As Peter walked toward Jesus, however, he noticed the strong wind and the waves crashing around him. The moment he shifted his focus from Jesus to the storm, fear overcame his faith, and he began to sink.

Yet Jesus did not abandon him. He immediately reached out His hand and saved him. This Gospel account speaks not only of Peter’s wavering faith but also of our own. It gently invites us to ask ourselves: How strong is our faith in Jesus when the storms of life begin to rage?

Can we continue to trust Him when we go through severe trials? What if we become seriously ill, lose someone we dearly love, face financial hardships, or carry burdens that seem too heavy to bear? Would these painful moments shake our confidence in the Lord?

Would we begin to ask Him, “Why?” These are honest questions that many of us have asked at one time or another. Yet even in our questions, the Lord patiently remains beside us, waiting for us to place our trust in Him once again.

Life is indeed a mystery. We may be here today, yet there is no guarantee that we will still be breathing tomorrow. Even our faith in Jesus is, in many ways, a mystery. We place our trust in Someone whom we cannot see with our physical eyes, yet we continue to hold on to Him because we have come to know His unfailing love and faithfulness.

Our faith is not built on what is visible but on the certainty that the Lord always keeps His promises. It is this faith that strengthens us, enables us to persevere, and carries us through every trial that comes our way.

Peter clearly had faith; otherwise, he would never have asked Jesus to let him come to Him. But for a brief moment, he allowed the wind and the waves to weaken his trust in the Lord. How often do we do the same? We begin our journey with confidence, but when difficulties arise, our fears, worries, and uncertainties can easily draw our eyes away from Jesus.

Still, the Good Shepherd never stops reaching out to us. Whenever we begin to sink beneath the weight of life's storms, His loving hand is always extended, ready to lift us up if only we turn back to Him.

As we continue our journey of faith, we will surely encounter moments that test our trust in the Lord. These trials are not meant to drive us away from Him but to draw us closer to His Sacred Heart, where we discover that His grace is always greater than our weakness and His love is stronger than our fears.

Let us, therefore, remain steadfast and never lose heart, no matter how fierce the storms may become. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who never abandons those who place their trust in Him. He is always with us—strengthening us when we are weak, comforting us when we are discouraged, and carrying us safely through every test of faith.

Today, where are our eyes fixed—on the storms that surround us or on Jesus who walks above them? Will we allow our fears to pull us beneath the waves, or will we place our complete trust in the Lord, whose outstretched hand is always ready to lift us up?—Marino J. Dasmarinas