Daily Gospel Reflection
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August 3, 2021
Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side of the sea,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”
After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret.
When the men of that place recognized him,
they sent word to all the surrounding country.
People brought to him all those who were sick
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak,
and as many as touched it were healed.
This well-known gospel reading is both simple and profound. The disciples are scared and need help. They have been tossed about in a storm all night long. Like the disciples, sometimes we feel fearful, anxious, or sad about events in our lives, both big and small. It can be easy to lose sight of God’s presence at those times, especially if we feel overwhelmed by whatever is troubling us. Even when we do not recognize God’s presence though, God is with us.
This gospel reading reminds us to listen for and trust in God. It struck me that the disciples had not called out to Jesus, yet “Jesus came toward them” anyway after seeing how they were being impacted by the storm. He came walking on the water to reveal his true nature as God. At first, the disciples did not recognize Jesus, just as we sometimes do not recognize when God comes to us during the storms in our lives. But if we are still and listen, we will hear God’s voice and see that God comes to us as well.
When Jesus approached the disciples, he said, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” These words provide us with great comfort. They do not mean that whatever we are facing will be easy, but they remind us that we will be accompanied and our burden will be lessened if we put our faith in God. As I reflected on this passage, those words kept echoing in my head. Let us all take courage when faced with the challenges in our lives because, as we know, God is with us.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you are merciful, compassionate, and fully understand our human weakness. You know our fears, the things that hold us back from trusting you and from becoming fully ourselves. But you won’t let us use those things as an excuse. You always challenge us to grow, and with the challenge comes the grace to meet it. Thank you for caring so much about us. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Gamaliel was a renowned rabbi in Jerusalem who taught the apostle Paul. He is honored in the Christian tradition for his defense of the early apostles.
The Jewish authorities prohibited Peter and the other apostles from preaching about Jesus, and when they continued, they were arrested and tried. Gamaliel was a man of great respect and was considered a leading teacher of his time. He defended the apostles (Acts 5:34-39), arguing that they not be executed. “If their work is their own, it will come to nothing,” he said. “If it is of God, you cannot overthrow it, unless you are found to even fight against God.”
Some believe that Gamaliel was baptized by Sts. Peter and John, along with his son, Abibo (who later became a saint). He is honored on August 3 because in the fifth century, his relics were miraculously discovered on this date and transferred to the cathedral in Pisa, Italy. In Jewish tradition, Gamaliel remained a Pharisee until he died.
This stained glass window in the Basilica’s reliquary chapel depicts the discovery of his remains. It is an appropriate scene to watch over the more than 1,600 relics there, including remains from all twelve apostles, because Gamaliel protected the Church’s first saints. (His name on the tomb in the window appears in the foreign spelling as “Cheliel”.)
Gamaliel, defender of apostles, pray for us!