Like many others, St Augustine saw the boat in today’s Gospel (Matthew 14,22-33) as the Church. He wrote: “This vessel which carries the disciples, the Church, is tossed and shaken by the tempest of temptation, and the contrary wind, her devil adversary, rests not and strives to hinder her from arriving at rest. But greater is He who makes intercession for us.” As we prepare for Mass this weekend, let us remember that the Church harbors those on pilgrimage to the other side – to the eternal joy of heaven. But sailing on the sea of the world, we are bound to encounter rough winds and deadly storms. Nonetheless, it is Christ Himself who sent His Church on this pilgrimage. He is aware of the storms ahead. His silent moments of prayer show how He constantly intercedes before the Father on behalf of His Church. His absence from the boat does not suggest abandonment – it is an opportunity to allow us to build more faith in Him through the turbulent events of life.
How is living with a pandemic, environmental crises, racial injustice, and rampant corruption similar to the raging sea on which Peter was trying to walk toward Jesus? Affirming St. Augustine’s thought, Pope Francis writes: “Here is an effective image of the Church: a boat which must brave the storms and sometimes seems on the point of capsizing. What saves her is not the skill and courage of her crew members, but faith which allows her to walk, even in the dark, amid hardships. Faith gives us the certainty of Jesus’ presence always beside us, of His hand which grasps us to pull us back from danger. We are all on this boat, and we feel secure here despite our limitations and our weaknesses.”
For a beautiful and thought-provoking reflection on this weekend’s Gospel: http://www.integratedcatholiclife.org/2011/08/dambrosio-sunday-reflection-walking-on-water/
