for it was now dark and Jesus had not yet come to them. But the sea was getting rough
because a strong wind was blowing. They had rowed about three or four miles, when
they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and he was drawing near to the boat. They were
frightened, but he said to them, “It is I! Don’t be afraid!” They wanted to take him into the
boat, but immediately, the boat was at the shore to which they were going.

Reflect

“Be not afraid.” In John’s Gospel, Jesus often uses the phrase “I am” (egō eimi). This
indicates Jesus’ divine nature since the “I am” recalls the divine name found in the Old
Testament. In today’s Gospel, Jesus’ disciples saw him walking on the sea. They were
frightened. Immediately, Jesus gave them the assurance it was him, exhorting them not to be
afraid (cf. Mk. 6:50; Mt. 14:27). The disciples failed to fully recognize Jesus and thus they
were frightened. Before they saw him walking on the sea, the Gospel narrates that a strong
wind was blowing and that the sea was getting rough. It is good to reflect on the challenge
posed to us by our faith when our sailing in the sea of life gets rough. Fear can outrightly
paralyze us, making us unable to recognize the Lord. We can become unmindful of the Lord’s
presence and consequently we end up doubting his power to save us. We are living in a
troubled time but the Lord Jesus is always giving us the assurance that no matter what
happens, he will never abandon us. The sea of life where we are now sailing might be
rough but there is no more reason to be afraid.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2024