GOSPEL THOUGHTS
*Ordinary Season : Eighteenth Week: Monday*
*Gospel : Mt 14:22-36*
*First Reading : Jer 28: 1-17*
*Responsorial Psalm : 119: 29, 43, 80,95,102*
*“Seeing the Problem vs Seeing the Solution.”
*1) Problem and Solution*
Peter is caught between two realities:
The Problem: Strong wind, Rough waves, Fear of sinking, Uncertainty
The Solution: Jesus is present, Jesus is calling , Jesus has power over the storm, Jesus can stretch out His hand and save
The storm was real. Peter was not imagining the danger. But Jesus was also real.
That is the heart of the passage: Faith does not deny the problem; faith refuses to believe that the problem is greater than God.
*2) Peter First Saw the Solution*
Peter says: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” (Mt 14:28)
Before looking at the waves, Peter looked at Jesus. He saw Jesus and thought: “If Jesus is there, I can go.”
This is the first lesson for our lives. When difficulties come, our first question should not always be: “How big is my problem?”
But: “Where is Jesus in this problem?”
The problem may be big, but Jesus is bigger than the problem.
*3) When Peter Looked at the Problem, He Began to Sink*
The Gospel says: “But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink…”
The wind did not suddenly appear. The wind was already blowing when Peter stepped out of the boat.
What changed? Peter's focus changed.
At first: Jesus → Faith → Courage → Walking
Then: Wind → Fear → Doubt → Sinking
This is very relevant to our lives. Sometimes the situation has not changed, but our way of looking at the situation changes everything.
We can look at: the size of the problem, or the greatness of God;
the closed door, or the possibility of another door;
our weakness, or God's strength;
our failure, or God's mercy;
today's difficulty, or God's promise for tomorrow.
The problem may remain the same, but our vision can change.
*4) Faith Does Not Mean “There Is No Problem”*
This is very important. Christian faith does not tell us: “There are no storms.”
Jesus never promised Peter a storm-free life. Instead, Jesus came into the storm.
Therefore, faith is not: “I have no problems.”
Faith is: “I have a problem, but I am not alone in my problem.”
This changes everything.
A person without faith says: “There is a storm, therefore I have no hope.”
A person of faith says: “There is a storm, but Jesus is with me.”
*5) Sometimes the Solution Is Already Present in the Problem*
There is something beautiful in this Gospel.
Peter thought the water was the problem. But Jesus was using the same water as the place where Peter would experience faith.
The water that frightened Peter became the place where he encountered Jesus. This happens in life.
Sometimes: A difficulty becomes a lesson.
A failure becomes a new beginning.
A disappointment becomes a direction.
A closed door becomes protection.
A weakness becomes dependence on God.
A storm becomes an opportunity for deeper faith.
So we should not ask only: “Why is this happening to me?”
Sometimes we should ask: “Lord, what are You teaching me through this?”
*6) The Boat Can Become a Symbol of Our Comfort Zone*
Peter had another choice. He could have remained in the boat.
The boat was familiar.
The boat was comfortable.
The boat was safer. But Jesus was outside the boat.
Sometimes God invites us to step beyond our comfort zone: to forgive, to reconcile, to take responsibility, to serve, to speak the truth, to begin again, to trust someone, to accept a new mission, to deepen our prayer, to make a difficult but right decision.
We may say: “Lord, I will follow You when everything becomes safe.”
But Jesus sometimes says: “Step out in faith before everything becomes safe.”
*7) The Greatest Danger Is Not Always the Storm*
Peter was surrounded by water. But what really caused him to sink? Fear.
The external storm became an internal storm.
This happens to us too. A small problem can become enormous in our minds when we constantly think about it.
For example: “I made a mistake.” Fear says: “My whole life is ruined.” “I don't know what will happen tomorrow.”
Fear says: “Something terrible will happen.” “I have this difficulty.”
Fear says: “I will never overcome it.”
Therefore: We must learn to distinguish between the actual problem and the problem created by our fear.
*8) Peter's Greatest Strength Was Knowing Whom to Call*
When Peter began sinking, he did not give a long speech. He simply cried: “Lord, save me!”
That is one of the most beautiful prayers in the Bible.
Sometimes our prayer does not need many words.
When life is overwhelming, we can simply say: “Lord, save me.” “Lord, help me.” “Lord, I cannot do this alone.” “Jesus, I trust in You.”
And the Gospel says: “Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him.”
Not tomorrow. Not after Peter became perfect. Immediately.
*9) Jesus Does Not Wait for Us on the Shore*
There is a beautiful image here. Jesus could have waited for Peter to reach the shore.
Instead, Jesus came into the storm. This tells us something about God.
God does not merely say: “Come out of your problems.”
He says: “I am with you in your problems.”
God's presence is not limited to peaceful moments.
He is present: in the hospital, in the classroom, in the family conflict, in financial difficulties, in loneliness, in uncertainty,
in failure, in grief, in difficult decisions.
The storm does not mean that God has abandoned us.
*10) What We Look At Determines How We Walk*
This could be one of the central points of your reflection.
Peter's feet were walking on water, but his eyes were determining whether he would continue.
When his eyes were on Jesus: He walked.
When his eyes were on the waves: He sank.
Therefore: Our direction is often determined by our attention.
If we constantly look at problems, we become problem-centered.
If we constantly look at Jesus, we become Christ-centered.
This does not mean ignoring reality. It means seeing reality through faith.
*11) Some Powerful Reflections*
*A) The storm is outside; don't allow the storm to enter inside.* : We cannot always control the wind outside us. But we can learn to protect the peace within us. “I cannot control the storm, but I can choose where I fix my eyes.”
*B) Don't magnify the problem and minimize God.* : Sometimes we spend ten minutes praying and two hours worrying. We make the problem bigger and God smaller in our minds. Instead: Magnify God, not the problem.
*C) Faith is not seeing the absence of waves; it is seeing Jesus above the waves.* : The waves may continue. But our confidence comes from knowing: “Jesus is greater than what is threatening me.”
*D) The same water that threatens to drown you can become the place where your faith grows.* : Peter's greatest lesson happened not on dry land but in the middle of the sea. Some of our deepest lessons about God are learned not when life is easy, but when life is difficult.
*E) Falling is not the end of faith.* : Peter sank. But Peter's story did not end there. He cried out. Jesus caught him. Therefore: A person of faith is not someone who never falls; it is someone who knows whose hand to hold when he falls.
*Think about it*
*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*
*Fr Maxim DSouza*
*Jeppu Seminary*
*Mangalore*
