Homily

After the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, Jesus told the disciples to get in the boat and go ahead of him to the other shore while he continued to speak to the crowd. We could call this the icon of mercy: Jesus with the crowd gathered around him. Another icon follows immediately, or better, the other face of the same icon: Jesus, on the mountain, alone before the Father. I would say that it is impossible to separate these two images; they make up one icon, and one explains the other. In the image of Jesus alone before God is fixed the extraordinary and unique relationship that joins Jesus to the Father. And from this relationship with the Father comes everything else.
The disciples are in the middle of the sea, and they too are alone, away from Jesus and the crowd. They are alone with themselves. How different these two ways of being alone are from one another. Jesus is alone on the mountain in the presence of God and the disciples are alone on the rough seas. The evangelist seems to almost be suggesting that it is normal, when people are alone with themselves, for storms to arise. Indeed, the disciples had already gone through a similar experience (Mt 8:23-27) in the middle of the lake when Jesus was sleeping; we can only imagine what would happen now that he is gone. When we are alone with ourselves, we cannot avoid the storm of life. The disciples spend the night in fear, struggling against the rough seas and the opposite wind. When it is almost dawn, Jesus, walking on the waters, draws near to the boat, which struggles amidst serious difficulties. Upon seeing him, the disciples are afraid he is a ghost. Fear of ghosts is added to the fear of the waves. They still have not understood who Jesus is. He has to speak to reassure them himself: "Take heart, it is I." It is a reassuring voice that they have heard many times. But their fear is still stronger and their doubts remain. Speaking for them all, Peter asks for proof: "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." They know what this sign means. It is not just a miraculous act, it is a "sign" that points directly to God, as is written in Psalm 77. The second scene opens. Jesus says to Peter, "Come!" Peter obeys Jesus and begins to walk on the waves. But the doubt and fear that are still deeply rooted in his heart take the upper hand, and Peter is about to be swallowed up by the waves. At this point, Peter truly despairs and cries out: "Lord, save me!" They are only three words, perhaps shouted out in an unseemly way, but they are full of hope. And "Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’" (v. 31) This scene gives a good sense of what it means to be a disciple. Throughout the history of the Church, this episode has always been seen as the typical image of doubt, which indeed is not uncommon in the lives of the disciples. In fact, as the Gospel itself reminds us, doubt often marks the disciple’s life, just as it marks the experience of every believer. We can all feel close to Peter and identify with his doubts, uncertainties, and fears. But we have to understand where we can talk about certainty in faith. Certainty is not to be found on the human side; we are all weak, fragile, doubtful, and even treacherous. Certainty is found on God’s side. God will never abandon us to our sad fate; He will never let us be swept away by the raging sea of evil; He will never allow the raging waves of wickedness to swallow us up. What matters - and here we have to imitate Peter - is for us to cry out: "Lord, save me!" In this simple prayer is hidden the simple and deep mystery of our faith: Jesus is the only one who can save us.