Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest
When I was a high school student in Denver, Josh McDowell’s book, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, swept through our evangelical youth group as something akin to a tidal wave. In this book McDowell claimed to provide all sorts of undeniable evidence for the truth of Christianity. To this day I can recall the book’s high point, which was the chapter entitled, “The Resurrection – Hoax or History?” In McDowell’s telling, the historical evidence is absolutely overwhelming that Jesus really did rise from the dead.
Such good news for a doubting adolescent! But then I went off to college, and as a history major it rapidly became obvious – even though I was at an evangelical school! – that there is no historical evidence that “proves” Jesus was born of a virgin or that Jesus performed miracles or that Jesus rose from the dead. These are supernatural events, and to believe such things to be true requires one to go beyond the sort of “natural” explanations that history provides. That is to say, to believe that Jesus is the Son of God requires faith.
When Jesus walked on the water toward the little storm-tossed boat, the terrified disciples thought he was a ghost, and cried out. Jesus immediately responded by reassuring them: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” That was not enough for Peter, who wanted to put Jesus’ words to the test by walking on the water himself, which of course did not go well for Peter.
This story is much less about Peter’s failure to walk on water, and much more about Peter and the other disciples failing to have faith in Jesus’ words of reassurance. Can we have such faith? Can we acknowledge our lack of certainty and yet still trust Jesus’ words of reassurance that he is God and that he is with us, always?
I pray that we can.
- Bill Trollinger