Keep your eyes on Jesus is the theme of this gospel passage, especially as depicted in many church icons, often seen in an ‘oversized Jesus’, stooping down to lift up a sinking Peter. If we want to be a hero of God, compassion is one of the major characteristics we will need. On the mountain, Jesus is in prayer, he needs to pray, in Hebrew this is a reflexive verb. Meanwhile the disciples are in trouble on a boat in a storm; Jesus watching for a while. The uniqueness of Israel is, ‘God in search of man’; their God wanted to live with them. Fear holds back the kingdom but in the Matthew account, Peter gets out of the boat. They recognise it is Jesus because they recognise His voice, they hear and obey, these words are always linked. Jesus says, “Come!” Only Peter hears and obeys. Why did you stop? It’s not a rebuke …. Let’s walk back to the boat together. We should spend more time listening and then making that active. Don’t Stop!
Readings
Psalm 85:8-13, Romans 10:5-15, Matthew 14:22-33