Homily on the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time on August 13, 2023 Wijk bij Duurstede (The Netherlands)

It is striking that before he started his long journey to Jerusalem, Jesus was active for some time in the area around Lake Genesaret. Such a huge inland sea seems like a barrier for a wandering rabbi. Because you can’t walk on water. You travel much faster by ship than on foot. This applies not only to the crossing to the other side, but also to the places along the coastline.
By using a ship, it appears that Jesus proceeded with great deliberation in his proclamation of the kingdom of God. Occasionally, fishing boats also served as a stage. Moreover, his first disciples were fishermen who were very familiar with the waters of Lake Genesareth
We can learn from this that we may also proceed with deliberation in the proclamation of the Gospel. I give a modern example. Last week the World Youth Days were held in Lisbon in de presence of pope Franciscus. About one and a half million young people from Portugal, Europe and around the world attended. The first World Youth Days were organized in 1984 at the initiative of Pope John Paul II. Since then, this international youth meeting has taken place almost every other year. The young people have now returned from Portugal, including to our diocese and our parishes. They will never forget what they have experienced with countless others. It makes them feel jointly responsible for the church in their own environment from now on.
Forty years ago, World Youth Days did not exist at all. Now they can’t be ignored again. Everyone understands how much needed they are. They are an example of how the church can reach people with the message of God’s kingdom through policy and counsel.
Similarly, Jesus acted wisely by using small boats in the proclamation of the Gospel. He thanked God, his Father, for opening the hearts of the people to his message, but that did not mean that he went without a plan.The water of the lake turned out to be an excellent means to carry out his mission very energetically
But water has its own dangers and drawbacks. Especially on Lake Genesareth. The Gospel of Matthew tells two stories about this. We just heard one of them 1). About Jesus appearing to his disciples in the dead of night while the toiling with the wind and the waves does not make any progress. In an earlier story Matthew tells that the disciples are afraid they will perish in a sudden storm, while Jesus is sleeping 2). They awaken their master and cry out in fear, “Lord, don’t you care that we perish?” Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves so that they lay down. Jesus thus taught his disciples that his mission came from God, and that nothing and no one could prevent Jesus from reaching his goal and completing his mission on earth. But in this Sunday’s story there is no mention of a storm. Not even because of the students’ fear of the waves. Of course they struggle with it. The disciples presumare afraid, but this time not for the wind and the waves. They are near exhaustion. They feel abandoned. Also by their master himself who ordered them to sail home without him. They are afraid but of something completely different.
When Jesus suddenly comes to them on foot across the lake, they think they see a ghost. That is why they tremble with fear. “Take courage” says Jesus “It is I”. They recognize his voice. Now there is only one in the Bible who can say, “I am.” Absolutely and without further explanation. That is only God. Jesus appears here in his divine form. As a foreman, Peter reacts very alertly. “Lord, if it is indeed you, tell me to come to you.” All exhaustion and frustration is over. He is immediately ready to follow Jesus. Ready for the challenges that await him. All attention now turns to Peter as the foreman of the apostles.
“Come” says Jesus as he said earlier at the first call of the apostles: “Come, follow me”. Just like then, without thinking twice, Peter gets out of the boat to join Jesus. But then when he does not look at the Lord for a moment, but at the waves, he loses ground under his feet and threatens to sink. Some interpreters think that Peter is here being punished for presumptuous conduct. But what is presumptuous about obeying the voice of the Lord? Let’s take a look at the man who now holds the Petrine ministry: Pope Francis.
Last year he started the synodal process. A huge challenge. Many said to each other, “This is going nowhere. I’m not participating. Loss of time and energy”. Others said: ‘it will be chaos, all these different views on crucial matters’. Still others: “This is contrary to the hierarchical structure of the Church. The bishops deal with the doctrine and morals of the Church. Ordinary believers should not comment on that.”
Do you think that Pope Francis, who has of course heard all those dissenting voices, has not had the feeling in recent times, just like Peter, that the ground sank under his feet when he saw all the dissenting voices and problems? Not only as a person, but also as the highest leader of the Church in our time? Do you not think that at such a time he lifted up his hands and cried out, “Lord, save me?” We may hope and pray that we have such a human pope.Jesus grabs Peter’s hand and says, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” He does not say: ‘if you were not sure, then you should not have started it, but: ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt’. In other words: “You knew you could rely on me, didn’t you? I have not abandoned you. I wanted to show you that I am always with you. “Don’t hesitate any longer”.
Of course, Pope Francis has not recklessly embarked on the challenge of the Synodal process that will conclude in Rome at the beginning of October with the Episcopal Conference. On the contrary, it is a sign of policy and consultation for the church to continue its mission in our time with modern means and possibilities and to involve the entire church in this. Like on Lake Genesareth, may we be open to the discovery that Christ is near and saves when we stretch out our hand to him. And let us also discover and recognize God’s presence in our situation. and with all the crew of the ship of the Church say:  “Truly thou art the Son of God”

Martin Los,

1) Matthew 14:22-33
2) Matthew 8:23-28