1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a
Rom 9:1-5
Mt 14:22-33
Many people would argue that we, as human beings, are very much afraid of failure. We hate to fail, no doubt about it. Fear of failing can indeed keep us from trying things. I believe, however, that there is one thing we fear even more. Mare than being afraid of failure, we are afraid of success. If we succeed at something, anything, we suddenly find ourselves bearing the burden of expectation. We start to succeed, and suddenly people start to expect things from us. There’s no hiding, no running away, so our best defense against these expectations is to either fail, or not try at all. Jesus, having sent his disciples on ahead of him, begins to approach them walking on the water. Terrified, the disciples are sure it is a ghost. Jesus reassures them, saying it’s me, don’t be afraid. Peter calls to Jesus, “Lord, if it is you command me to come to you on the water.” Peter steps out of the boat and begins to walk to Jesus on the wave tops. Peter is fine until he realizes what he is doing, until he realizes he can’t walk on water, no one can. As sinks into the waves Jesus saves him and takes him to the boat. Jesus says to Peter, “Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Peter was succeeding, doing well, until fear took over. His success ended when he forgot why he was succeeding at all. It was only in Jesus, in the help that Jesus gave, in the reliance on faith in Jesus, that Peter was successful. Jesus asks each of us to do but one thing, love. Love God, love our fellow human beings. This is not an easy task. We can, when we choose to be quite unlovable, and quite willing to not love. It can seem to be a lot like walking on water. We step out of the boat, start of pretty well, then realize what we are doing. I can’t do this. Why should I? Hardly anyone else seems to. So we start to sink, sink into the abyss of separation, of loneliness, of not loving or being loved, until we remember, remember that like Peter we can’t walk on this water alone. Faith in Jesus, reliance on God, these lift us up out of the swirling depths, into the boat, safe and secure in the love of Christ. Then, and only then, do we have a chance to overcome our fear of success.
Deacon John
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Aug. 10, 2008
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1 comment:
Hi John!
Tell me why I should get out and walk on the water cause I’ve got it made here. I’m on my second bottle of good spirit and my imaginary friends would have me believe, if they had their way with me, that they’re sure that they would make “The Simpsons” look like a ferry tale. They also want me to believe that they could have me ride a drop of rain and enjoy it but I’m not going to fall for it anymore cause I recall what happened to me in 1970. Oh ya! They say go on , love blindly and have no fear cause someday where you’re going there will be only happy tears. They say that every one of my cells will have a kingdom that no man could ever wish to have but I tell them, Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
Oh no! I tell them that I won’t back down and I’m going to stand my ground for now and I’m going to drive it all night long.
I know that there ain’t no easy way out but what do you want from me? When Jesus taps me on the shoulder then and only then will I say go ahead tell me what you want from me and I’ll do it. I can just see my imaginary friendly cells trying to deal with the pain as if we never ever loved at all. They’re placing nails in my hands and I tell them please try to hit the nails on the head cause my fingers are hurting every time you miss those darn nails. I know that these fingers all have it coming because of the many times that they’ve bated the Master but can’t you please have a little mercy? Can’t you see that the angels are crying and it’s not only rain from the clouds that makes the green grass grow.
I’ve been let down so many times and I’m tired of hurting. Yes I know that Jesus is more than a lover and every time I look at Him I fall in love all over again. Okay He’s “My Best Friend” He stands by me when my world goes crazy and I know that He is more than a lover and I don’t know where I would be without Him and I love it and I want more of “IT!”
but enough is enough, don't you think?
I better close now cause they, my imaginary so called friends are real comedians, they’re asking me if I want fries with that.
God Bless all His Children
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