Faith that Falters, Grace that Catches

Gospel Reading for Tuesday August 5th, 2025 - Matthew 14:22-36

In today’s Gospel, Jesus approaches His disciples in the middle of a storm, doing the impossible: walking on water. They’re terrified, thinking He must be a ghost. But Jesus speaks into their fear “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter, ever bold, responds with a request “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

Jesus simply says, “Come.” Beckoning him out onto the water.

Peter steps out of the boat. And for a moment he actually walks on water. I imagine the rush of joy and wonder as he moves toward Jesus, doing what no one thought could be done.

But then, as we so often do, he notices the wind. The chaos. The danger. He takes his eyes off Christ. Fear creeps in, and he begins to sink.

“Lord, save me!” he cries.

Immediately, without hesitation, Jesus stretches out His hand and catches him.

“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

I’ve often read this story as a reminder that I need more faith. That if only my faith were stronger, I wouldn’t sink. That I should be brave enough to walk on water. Yet, how many times have I, like Peter, stepped out in faith only to falter when the storm around me felt too strong?

Maybe the deeper message is this: We will sink.

We will stumble, falter, and fail. Our faith won’t always be enough.

But Jesus will be.

The call isn’t to walk perfectly across the waves. The call is to trust Him enough to step out and to remember that when we fall, He is already reaching for us.

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.

Saint Peter Attempting to Walk on Water François Boucher (1703–1770)