What's does it mean to have faith?  That seems like an odd question to pose to faith-filled people who are reading our Church bulletin.  But most of us at one time or another struggle with that question. Do we have real faith? Is it strong and consistent? Will it be there when I need it most desperately or only when things are going well? 

The disciples of Jesus undoubtedly wrestled with that question. Certainly, Peter's encounter with Jesus on the Sea of Galilee demonstrates the importance of faith and the challenge of maintaining it. When Peter steps out of the boat, he is demonstrating great faith. But then his faith weakens. His focus moves from Jesus, the source of his faith, to the perilous conditions around him. When that happens, Peter is in trouble and can no longer walk on water. He begins to sink.

Faith is foundational to our spiritual life. It is a gift. We access faith by accepting an offer from God. Peter accepted the invitation from Christ to get out of the boat. He showed a belief in Jesus. Our Baptism came about because of belief in Jesus and in fundamental truths. That is the first aspect of faith. That is what Peter demonstrated by getting out of the boat.

The second aspect of faith is living it. Peter struggled with this and began to sink. I have experienced that in my life and I’m guessing most of you have as well. Things go badly in our lives and we begin to doubt. We turn our focus from the object of our faith and look for other solutions.

The Gospel this weekend teaches us the most basic concept of faith. KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS. Faith isn’t certainty. It is trusting in God. Faith means taking time to pray when we doubt anyone is listening and we don’t really have the time to devoteto prayer.

Our faith may appear foolish to non-believers. Some of the disciples may have been thinking, “I knew Peter would sink.” Living our faith in the face of derision and strong headwinds requires grace. That is why we gather as Christians. That is why we celebrate the sacraments.

Keeping our eyes on Jesus requires looking for Him in the right places. Our lives are very busy. We are distracted by many challenges. We are enticed by many pleasures. Our eyes are drawn to a myriad of things other than Jesus.

Elijah, the prophet in our first reading this Sunday, was facing huge obstacles. His life was threatened by Queen Jezebel. He was in danger of losing his faith. But Elijah follows God’s instructions and finds Him in “a tiny whispering sound”.

Look for God with eyes of faith. Be open to finding Him in people, places and circumstances that may surprise you. You may find God in a raging storm as Peter did or in a tiny whispering sound as Elijah did. Look for God in the Bible, in the sacraments, in our worship, in creation and in one another. God became man in Christ that we might see him in all of these places.

KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS

In Christ,
Dcn. Marty Pogioli