Lord, save me! (Mike Kuczkowski)

    I have always loved this Gospel reading. The image of Jesus walking on the water toward the boat that carries his Apostles. First, they think He is a ghost. Then they recognize it is their teacher coming. Then Peter asks Jesus to command him to come out on the water. And yet, when He does so, Peter becomes fearful and starts to sink. He cries out, “Lord, save me!” And of course, Jesus lifts him up and prevents him from drowning. 

    As a child, I loved this image because it gave me the sense that Jesus would catch me when I fell. I focused on what it must have been like to be in the presence of Christ. To experience him calming the waters. Which was a comforting notion. 

    Yet, as an adult I think more about Peter’s actions. His desire to be called. The fact that he is called, that he gets what he wants. And yet, he falters. This happens to us so often. We look down, rather than forward. We allow our daily doubts to get in the way of our faith. It happens all the time to me, those moments when I find myself unwilling to surrender to God’s will. “Oh, you of little faith, why did you doubt?” I would have to reply, “I don’t know.” 

    It takes much humility to simply listen to God’s words and push away the self-doubt, the pride, the temptation to mischief. And yet, when we sin, we need only ask for mercy. Reach out. Gain enough perspective about our actions to say, “Lord, save me!” He will catch us when we do. 

--Mike Kuczkowski,
OLMC Communion Service Reflection,
August 3, 2021 

Image source: Henry Osawa Tanner, The Disciples See Christ Walking on the Water (ca. 1907), https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Henry_Ossawa_Tanner,_The_Disciples_See_Christ_Walking_on_the_Water,_c._1907.jpg