NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A)
1 Kgs 19:9a,11-13a; Ps 85; Rom 9:1-5; Mt 14:22-33
COMMENTARY
With Christ to Walk on the Sea Again
Following Jesus in his mission, according to what Saint Matthew the Evangelist tells us, with today’s Gospel we have arrived at the peculiar episode: Jesus walks on the waters of the rough sea. Besides the miraculous nature of the event itself, the Gospel narrative seems to convey some important messages for the life of Christ’s missionary disciples today. For an in-depth reflection, it is necessary to bear in mind at least three significant details.
1. The Temporal Context and Paschal/Passover Perspective: The Walking on the Sea after the Multiplication of the Bread
First of all, the temporal context of today’s Gospel should be remembered. It is indicated in the Italian Lectionary (as in the others) with the phrase: “After he had fed the people.” What is told immediately after is therefore subsequent to the multiplication of the bread. It should be noted that this succession of events is reported not only in the synoptic gospels (Matthew and Mark), but also in that of John (which follows a different tradition). It is precisely the latter who underlined the Paschal perspective of the multiplication of the bread by clarifying the temporal context of the event: “The Jewish feast of Passover was near” (Jn 6:4). In this way, we are invited to immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of Easter which celebrates the exodus of the People of God from Egypt through great and terrible signs and wonders such as the gift of manna in the desert and obviously the memorable crossing of the Red Sea, later sung by the Psalmist with the inspired words: “The waters saw you, God; the waters saw you and lashed about, even the deeps of the sea trembled (…) Through the sea was your way; your path, through the mighty waters…” (Ps 77:17, 20). It should be added that, according to the biblical-Jewish tradition, only God dominates the sea and walks on its waves (cf. Job 9:8).
In this perspective, the walking of Jesus on the lake of Genesaret (usually also called the sea [of Galilee] due to its large size, as in today’s Gospel [cf. Mt 4:18; 15:29]) must be contemplated just as the actualization of the manifestation of almighty God on the waters of the sea during the Exodus of the Chosen People in the past. So much so that Jesus reassured the frightened disciples with the phrase “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid”, in which the literal affirmation “I am” (ego eimi in the original Greek) seems not only to affirm the identity of the speaker, but also deliberately reproduces the very name of God of the Exodus (cf. Ex 3:14). Even the sequence of Jesus’ actions seems to indicate a divine movement descending from high to low. He first stood apart on the mountain to pray (that is, he stayed with God) and then, from there, he went towards the disciples on the rough sea. All this underlines that now with Jesus, Son of God, and in Him the new journey of Exodus through the sea for the People of God is being realized.
2. “Jesus made the disciples get into a boat….” The significant action of Jesus towards the disciples
The highlighted temporal context of the episode with its global Easter/Passover perspective of Jesus’ mission helps us to understand in depth an apparently strange action of Jesus towards the disciples, at the beginning of the story, after the multiplication of the bread: “Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.” The literal Greek verb used to define this act of Jesus is “to force.” With this, we can imagine that his disciples still wanted to remain on the “glorious” place of the multiplication of the bread, when, according to what is reported in the Gospel of John, at the end of the miracle the people wanted to proclaim Jesus as their King (Jn 6:14-15). Jesus’ behavior is therefore very significant in that moment and highly parenthetic for the disciples, called to the same mission as the Master. On the one hand, Jesus seemed to want to teach his disciples to have clear the purpose of his and their mission, which is not to receive earthly glory from human beings, but to simply and faithfully fulfill the divine plan for the salvation of the world. In fact, Jesus himself later withdrew to the mountain alone to pray, that is to say to praise and consult God again, the source and origin of his mission. On the other hand, the disciples had been forced to get back into the boat and go ahead and “precede him to the other side.” Thus, we can glimpse an important spiritual message from a missionary perspective. Specifically, the disciples of Jesus are asked never to rest on single missionary “successes”, but to always go forward, that is, to always continue the mission with courage until the final fulfillment of the salvation of all humanity in the paschal mysteries of the Lord. Not earthly glory, but the divine plan. Never stopping to be pleased with what one has achieved, but always rowing forward in the mission, even with the wind against at times, to further realize God’s project in Christ. And in this journey of the disciples, even if sometimes, as in this case on the Sea of Galilee, the Lord physically leaves them alone to be “on the mountain” with God, He mystically remains close to them in mind and heart, in order to come to their aid promptly in their needs.
3. An interesting “close-up” of Jesus and Peter on the sea and a lesson of faith in the midst of storms
The “close-up” (to use a cinematic expression) of Jesus and Peter fits into this theological-spiritual context. It is an original insertion by the evangelist Matthew who thus wants to leave a lesson on faith in the midst of storms to readers/listeners of all times. Peter could walk on the waves at Jesus’ command, but curiously, “when he saw how strong the wind was, he became frightened” and he began to sink. Until Peter paid attention to the wind around him and continued to keep his gaze fixed only on Jesus, towards whom Peter was directed, nothing happened. Peter began to sink the moment he paid too much attention to the wind around him and no longer looked at his Master. This will be the lesson of faith for every disciple-missionary of Christ in the midst of storms: it is necessary to fix one’s gaze only on Jesus, in order to continue walking with Him on the agitated waves around. Precisely according to this logic is the recommendation of the sacred author of the Letter to the Jews to the first Christians, who were experiencing a moment of crisis:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.
Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. (Heb 12:1-3)
The end of this “close-up” of the Gospel episode reiterates once again the need to always look at Jesus, especially for those who find their lives in danger. Beginning to sink, Peter shouted “Lord, save me!” and then, as we can imagine the situation, again he looked upon his Master and Saviour. At this, as the evangelist pointed out, “immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter.” Thus, in Jesus’ action is reflected the powerful gesture of God who extends his hand to save the needy who turn to him in desperate situations. And Jesus’ rebuke to Peter in that instant confirms the perspective of faith on which the evangelist actually insists: “[Jesus] said to him: ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’”
Let us pray that these words of Jesus, as well as the whole evangelical account today, may be a constant warning and a lesson for all of us, current disciples of Christ, in our life of faith and in our journey of mission in the contemporary world, where the wind against seems stronger and stronger. Let us keep in mind what Pope Francis affirmed with faith in his Message for World Mission Day 2023:
Today, as then, the Risen Lord remains close to his missionary disciples and walks beside them, particularly when they feel disoriented, discouraged, fearful of the mystery of iniquity that surrounds them and seeks to overwhelm them. So, “let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of hope!” (Evangelii Gaudium, 86). The Lord is greater than all our problems, above all if we encounter them in our mission of proclaiming the Gospel to the world. For in the end, this mission is his and we are nothing more than his humble co-workers, “useless servants” (cf. Lk 17:10).
Useful points to consider:
Pope Leo XIV, Apostolic Journey to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, (13-23 April 2026)
Homily, Yaoundé-Ville Airport, Saturday, 18 April 2026
[…] According to Jewish tradition, “water” with its depth and mystery, often calls to mind the netherworld, chaos, danger and death. Together with darkness, it evokes the forces of evil, which human beings by their own power are not able to dominate. At the same time, however, by remembering the miracles wrought in the exodus, water is understood as a place of passage, a crossing through which God powerfully frees his people from slavery.
Throughout the ages, the Church has navigated many storms and “strong winds.” We too can identify with the feelings of fear and doubt experienced by the disciples while crossing the lake of Tiberias. Such is our experience in moments when we seem to be sinking, overcome by adverse forces, when everything appears bleak and we feel alone and weak. But it is not so. Jesus is with us always, stronger than any power of evil. In every storm, he comes to us and repeats: “I am here with you: do not be afraid.” This is why we can get up again after every fall, not allowing ourselves to be stopped by any tempest. Rather we go forward always with courage and trust. And it is thanks to him that, as Pope Francis said, so many “men and women… who honor our people, who honor our Church… are strong in carrying forward their lives, their family, their work, their faith” (Catechesis, 14 May 2014, 2). […]
Pope Francis, Apostolic Journey to Portugal on the occasion of the XXXVII World Youth Day,
Vespers with Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Consecrated Persons, Seminarians and Pastoral Workers, Homily, “Mosteiro dos Jerónimos” (Lisbon) Wednesday, 2 August 2023
[…] Like the young people who come here from all over the world to take on the giant waves, we too must set out fearlessly. Indeed, we need never fear the open seas, for in the midst of storms and battling oncoming winds, Jesus comes to meet us and says “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid” (Mt 14:27). How often have we had this experience? Each of us can answer that question in his or her heart. And if we have not had it, it is because something failed during the storm. […]
Dear brothers and sisters: to all of you, laity, religious, priests and bishops, to one and all I say, do not be afraid, let down the nets. Do not go about hurling accusations – telling people, “this is a sin” or “this is not a sin”. Let everyone come, we can talk later, but first they should hear the invitation of Jesus; repentance comes later, closeness to Jesus comes later. Please, do not turn the Church into a customs house: there the righteous, peoples whose lives are in order, those properly married, can enter, while everyone else remains outside. No. That is not the Church. Righteous and sinners, good and bad: everyone, everyone, everyone. And then, may the Lord help us to straighten things out… everyone!
Pope Francis, Message for the 2020 World Day of Vocations, (3 May 2020)
Words of Vocation
[…] I chose four key words – pain, gratitude, encouragement and praise – as a way of thanking priests and supporting their ministry. […]
The first word of vocation, then, is gratitude. Taking the right course is not something we do on our own, nor does it depend solely on the road we choose to travel. […] above all else, it is a response to a call from on high. The Lord points out our destination on the opposite shore and he grants us the courage to board the boat. In calling us, he becomes our helmsman; he accompanies and guides us; he prevents us from running aground on the shoals of indecision and even enables us to walk on surging waters. […]
When the disciples see Jesus walking towards them on the sea, they first think that he is a ghost and are filled with fear. Jesus immediately reassures them with words that should constantly accompany our lives and our vocational journey: “Take heart, it is I; have no fear” (Mt 14:27). This, then, is the second word I wish to offer you: encouragement.
What frequently hinders our journey, our growth, our choosing the road the Lord is marking out for us, are certain “ghosts” that trouble our hearts. […]
The Lord knows that a fundamental life choice – like marriage or special consecration to his service – calls for courage. He knows the questions, doubts and difficulties that toss the boat of our heart, and so he reassures us: “Take heart, it is I; have no fear!” […]
[…] I also spoke about pain, but here I would like to translate the word differently, as fatigue. Every vocation brings with it a responsibility. The Lord calls us because he wants to enable us, like Peter, to “walk on water”, in other words, to take charge of our lives and place them at the service of the Gospel, in the concrete and everyday ways that he shows us, and specifically in the different forms of lay, priestly and consecrated vocation. Yet, like Saint Peter, our desire and enthusiasm coexist with our failings and fears.
If we let ourselves be daunted by the responsibilities that await us […] or by the hardships in store for us, then we will soon turn away from the gaze of Jesus and, like Peter, we will begin to sink. On the other hand, despite our frailty and poverty, faith enables us to walk towards the Risen Lord and to weather every storm. […]
When Jesus at last boards the boat, the winds die down and the waves are calmed. Here we have a beautiful image of what the Lord can do at times of turbulence and tempest in our lives. He stills those winds, so that the forces of evil, fear and resignation no longer have power over us. […]
Even amid the storm-tossed waters, then, our lives become open to praise. This is the last of our vocation words, and it is an invitation to cultivate the interior disposition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Grateful that Lord gazed upon her, faithful amid fear and turmoil, she courageously embraced her vocation and made of her life an eternal song of praise to the Lord.
Pope Francis, Angelus, Saint Peter’s Square, Sunday, 13 August 2017
[…] This Gospel narrative contains rich symbolism and makes us reflect on our faith, both as individuals and as an ecclesial community […] The boat is the life of each one of us, but it is also the life of the Church. The wind against it represents difficulties and trials. Peter’s invocation — “Lord, bid me come to you!” — and his cry — “Lord, save me!” — are very similar to our desire to feel the Lord’s closeness, but also the fear and anguish that accompany the most difficult moments of our life and of our communities, marked by internal fragility and external difficulties.
At that moment, Jesus’ word of reassurance, which was like an outstretched rope to cling to in the face of the hostile and turbulent waters, was not enough for Peter. This is what can happen to us as well. When one does not cling to the Word of the Lord […].This means that the faith is not very strong. Today’s Gospel reminds us that faith in the Lord and in his Word does not open a way for us where everything is easy and calm; it does not rescue us from life’s storms. Faith gives us the assurance of a Presence, the presence of Jesus who encourages us to overcome the existential tempests, the certainty of a hand that grabs hold of us so as to help us face the difficulties, pointing the way for us even when it is dark. Faith, in short, is not an escape route from life’s problems, but it sustains the journey and gives it meaning. […]
Pope Francis, Angelus, Saint Peter’s Square, Sunday, 10 August 2014
[…] And the final scene is also very important. “And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God’!” (vv. 32-33). All the disciples are on the boat, united in the experience of weakness, of doubt, of fear and of “little faith”. But when Jesus climbs into that boat again, the weather suddenly changes: they all feel united in their faith in Him. All the little and frightened ones become great at the moment in which they fall on their knees and recognize the Son of God in their Teacher. How many times the same thing happens to us! Without Jesus, far from Jesus, we feel frightened and inadequate to the point of thinking we cannot succeed. Faith is lacking! But Jesus is always with us, hidden perhaps, but present and ready to support us.
This is an effective image of the Church: a boat which must brave the storms and sometimes seems on the point of capsizing. What saves her is not the skill and courage of her crew members, but faith which allows her to walk, even in the dark, amid hardships. Faith gives us the certainty of Jesus’ presence always beside us, of his hand which grasps us to pull us back from danger. We are all on this boat, and we feel secure here despite our limitations and our weaknesses. […]
