Dear Friends in Jesus Christ…, It's been said that we have a crisis every year and a major disaster every decade and a historical catastrophe in every century. Hopefully, during every trial, we grow and mature so that we are better able to cope with the next trial. Does the Lord Jesus seem distant when trials or adversity come your way? It was at Jesus' initiative that the disciples sailed across the lake, only to find themselves in a life-threatening storm. Although they were experienced fishermen, they feared for their lives. While Jesus was not with them in the boat, he, nonetheless, watched for them in prayer. When he perceived their trouble, he came to them on the sea and startled them with his sudden appearance. "Peter spoke up and said, 'Lord if it is You, tell me to come to You across the water.' 'Come!' He said. So Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on water, moving toward Jesus." —Matthew 14:28-29 If you had asked Peter the day before he walked on water: "Can you walk on water?", Peter would have answered, "No." Peter could not walk on water unless Jesus told him to, and Peter obeyed Jesus' command. This is a basic principle of the Christian life. For example, we must love our enemies (Lk 6:27, 35) and forgive them 70 x 7 times (Mt 18:22). But we cannot do these things. However, because Jesus has commanded us to do them, we can and must do them. When Jesus commands a paralyzed man to walk, only then can he walk (see Mk 2:11-12). Jesus has already commanded us to "make disciples of all the nations" (Mt 28:19) and to become holy in every aspect of our conduct (1 Pt 1:15). Of course, we cannot do these things. But because Jesus has commanded us, we can. Life in Christ is the exciting privilege of living far beyond our human limitations because of Jesus' commands and our obedience. One of the things learned during a trial is that we cannot do by our strength what we can do with the grace of God. What we cannot do by nature we can do by grace. We see Peter failing the test in our Gospel today. From what we know of him in this passage in Matthew, we would find it hard to imagine that statues in Rome would represent Peter. But during all of his trials, and with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter grew, and in the Acts of the Apostles, we see that Peter had matured and grown enormously. When we read the Acts of the Apostles, we can understand why statues in Rome represent Peter. In Acts, we see that Peter is relying on the Lord, and the Lord is working powerfully through him. In the Gospels, Peter speaks first and thinks afterward, but in Acts, Peter relies on the Lord and allows the Lord to speak through him. For example, Peter denied the Lord three times in the courtyard of the high priest, but in Acts, Peter is sent to prison twice for preaching in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:3; 5:17). In the Gospel, Peter did not want Jesus to go to Jerusalem to endure his passion, but in Acts, Peter and the other apostles were glad to have had the honor of suffering for the sake of the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41). Not only that, but in Acts 5:15, the sick even hoped that the shadow of Peter would fall on them. We never read in the Gospels that the sick hoped the shadow of Jesus would fall on them. In Acts, Peter has become monumental. If Peter did not endure all the trials we see him experiencing, especially in the Acts of the Apostles, he would never have grown to become the great person he became. What about us? When a trial comes our way, do we ask the Lord, "Are you trying to say something to me, God, during this trial?" "What are you trying to teach me during this trial, God?" Can we learn to trust God, especially during our trials? Are we allowing grace to do in us what we cannot do by nature? During our trials, do we let the Lord say to us, "Courage. It is I. Do not be afraid," "Man of little faith, why did you doubt," "Woman of little faith, why did you doubt." Can we learn to rely on the Lord as Peter did and so grow to become monumental? "Lord Jesus, help me to trust you always and never to doubt your presence and your power to help me. In my moments of doubt and weakness, may I cling to you as Peter did? Strengthen my faith that I may walk straight in the path you set before me, neither veering to the left nor to the right." Amen. God Bless You, Fr. Thomas