Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest
Consider a deeply faithful, spiritual person you may know. Are they attractive to you? Do you want to be more like them? Have you ever wondered how to ‘get that?’ Jesus’s response to Saint Peter and the crowds in today’s readings show us the way: Keep your eyes on Jesus!
The contrast between the faithful and the unfaithful is striking. In the first reading, the whole nation of Israel is unfaithful to the Lord. The consequences are widespread and terrible. Like a chronic injury, the people are doomed to suffer endlessly. They turned their faces away from God, and now they can’t see him even when they try. They (and you and I) have dug themselves so deep into a hole that they will never be able to get out on their own. But the Lord our God is faithful. He disciplines Israel, but his mercy moves him to restore the nation. People will laugh and sing again, in a beautiful city with good leaders. Even when we are unfaithful, God is ever-faithful to us. In the gospel, Peter has the benefit of seeing Jesus, another man, miraculously walking on water. It seems like that would make it easy to have faith! And for a moment, Peter has faith and steps out onto the water, walking on it just like Jesus. But then he takes his eyes off Jesus, and starts to sink immediately. His faith is easily pushed aside by a scary distraction.
What is distracting you from the Lord? What scary possibilities are making it hard to believe that God is with us, that humanity as a whole, and our nation in particular, will be holy and good? Think about it. Search your heart. Are you concerned about terrorism, or the election? Are you worried about your relationships or your job? Would you rather think about wealth and possessions, instead of setting your mind on heaven above? Is your smartphone your greatest distraction?
God is with us. If we “touch only the tassel on his cloak,” we will be healed. That is the power of faith in Jesus Christ. When we keep our eyes on him, we can walk on water. When we as a people seek the Lord, the Kingdom of God will become apparent, here on Earth. Let us stop looking at all these distractions, and instead look at our creator in faith.
- Chris Nieport