The Gospel tells us how Christ the Lord walked upon the waters of
the sea, and how the apostle Peter did the same until fear made him
falter and lose confidence. Then he began to sink and emerged from
the water only after calling on the Lord with renewed faith.
Now we must regard the sea as a symbol of the present world, and the
apostle Peter as a symbol of the one and only Church. For Peter, who
ranked first among the apostles and was always the most ready to
declare his love for Christ, often acted as spokesman for them
all.
For instance, when the Lord Jesus Christ asked who people thought he
was and the other disciples had cited various opinions, it was Peter
who responded to the Lord’s further question, “But who
do you say I am?” with the affirmation: “You are the
Christ, the Son of the living God.” One replied for all
because all were united.
When we consider Peter as a representative member of the Church we should distinguish between what was due to God’s action in him and what was attributable to himself. Then we ourselves shall not falter; then we shall be founded upon rock and remain firm and unmoved in the face of the wind, rain, and floods, which are the trials and temptations of this present world.
“Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you upon the
water.” When the Lord said “Come” Peter climbed
out of the boat and began to walk on the water. This is what he
could do through the power of the Lord; what by himself?
“Realizing how violently the wind was blowing, he lost his
nerve, and as he began to sink he called out, 'Lord, I am drowning,
save me'!”
When he counted on the Lord’s help it enabled him to walk on
the water; when human frailty made him falter he turned once more to
the Lord, who immediately stretched out his hand to help him, raised
him up as he was sinking, and rebuked him for his lack of faith.
Think, then, of this world as a sea, whipped up to tempestuous
heights by violent winds. A person’s own private tempest will
be his or her unruly desires. If you love God you will have power to
walk upon the waters, and all the world’s swell and turmoil
will remain beneath your feet. But if you love the world it will
surely engulf you, for it always devours its lovers, never sustains
them.
If you feel your foot slipping beneath you, if you become a prey to
doubt or realize that you are losing control, if, in a word, you
begin to sink, say: “Lord, I am drowning, save me!” Only
he who for your sake died in your fallen nature can save you from
the death inherent in that fallen nature.
Sermon 76:1. 4. 5. 8. 9: PL38, 479-483
Augustine (354-430) was born at Thagaste in Africa and received a Christian education, although he was not baptized until 387. In 391 he was ordained priest and in 395 he became coadjutor bishop to Valerius of Hippo, whom he succeeded in 396. Augustine’s theology was formulated in the course of his struggle with three heresies: Manichaeism, Donatism, and Pelagianism. His writings are voluminous and his influence on subsequent theology immense. He molded the thought of the Middle Ages down to the thirteenth century. Yet he was above all a pastor and a great spiritual writer.
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Journey with the Fathers
Commentaries on the Sunday Gospels
- Year A, pp. 114-115.
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