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After the wonderful multiplication of breads and fishes, as the day fell, Jesus directed his disciples to across the Sea of Galilee while he dismissed the crowd. So he went up to the mountain and prayed into the night. In the fourth watch of the night, at dawn, he went to meet the disciples, walking on the waters of the sea.
There are the disciples in the boat; strong winds, rough seas, tense situation, strength in the oars, difficulties in the progression of the short but troubled voyage. Moments before, they had been raptly commenting on the extraordinary feat of the Master, who with only five breads and two fish fed a hungry crowd of some fifteen thousand people; but now astonishment and dread have seized them, some ask desperately: where is the Master! now that we need him, has he abandoned us in this wild sea to drown?! Another, discredited, says: why do we commit this folly of following Jesus? it would have been better if we were quiet, living our quiet and peaceful life; before we didn't have these problems... But another interrupts him: Stop complaining and put strength in these oars... Another starts to cry: Ha! I will die!!! so young... did Jesus deceive me??? Suddenly a tidal wave crashes into the boat, almost overturns. Another is already writing his farewell will. You can imagine Pedro looking at André and saying: Why did you get me into this?! I was quiet taking care of my fishing and you come and take me to Jesus to stop in a situation like this!
But at a certain moment one of them sees a strange figure in the middle of the darkness, a chill runs down his spine, with a trembling voice asks the companions: My God! What is that? the others notice, someone shouts: It's a ghost! Aaaaah!!! astonishment seizes them and they all cry out loud. But a firm yet gentle voice is heard: Don't be scared, it's me, don't be afraid! Peter, still terrified, says: Lord, if it's you, tell me to go there, walking on the water! Apparently Pedro liked challenges, he was willing to risk his life for the word of the beloved Master. At this point he must have been thinking: come what may, no matter what! I'm going to meet Jesus, if he doesn't save me, nothing else will save me. Jesus, then, knowing the disposition of Peter's heart, gives the word of order: Come! Peter hears the word and it fires a supernatural faith in his heart, in an instant he is completely sure that he can walk on the turbulent sea, that he can dare the impossible, that he can do all things through the word of Jesus, he feels that it it has a supernatural power, it is the same word that created the heavens and the earth, no matter what the obstacles, they have become irrelevant before the authority of the word of the Lord. Jesus didn't send Peter down into the sea, didn't tell him to walk on the water, didn't order a miracle to happen, but simply said: come! The power of order had already been given, everything that got in the way had no power to prevent it from being carried out.
There goes Pedro getting off the boat, leaving the safety of the natural and heading for the supernatural, he treads on water as if it were earth, he feels a strange firmness, something that sustains him. He takes confidence and takes the first step. His foot doesn't sink or slide. Eyes fixed on the Master, security in the heart; one more step, and it seems that firmness increases, a supernatural faith invades his soul. But at one point a wave passes by his side, the water hits his knee. Pedro looks around to check the situation, to see what is happening around him, and is startled to see that the sea was roiling, the wind was increasingly fierce, it seemed that they had raged against him, with each step the situation worsened. Peter's eyes were no longer on Jesus, an anxiety began to take hold of him, his heart raced, a thought came to his mind: you're going to sink, you don't walk on water, water is not like earth, you will drown and die! And another wave passes, but this one hits you full on, wets you up to your head. Pedro begins to regret the folly he did, negative thoughts rob him of his faith and when he looks at the water it was already at his waist, it had started to sink! At first he struggles, thinks to himself: well, but I know how to swim! I'm swimming back to the boat. But another wave hits him, and in this one he drinks water, he can't swim! He begins to anguish, darkness seizes his mind, thoughts of death assail his hope of saving himself. He is no longer walking on water, the waters are on him, things have returned to the natural, to the common, man does not walk on water. Now he is like anyone else, at the mercy of the wild waters of the sea, drowning in their midst. When he was out of breath, almost losing consciousness, his eyes looked at a man standing on the water, standing still, as if waiting for something. Peter had already forgotten about Jesus, his mind turned to circumstances, and these dominated him. A spark of hope ignited in his heart, he remembered the Master. Yes! it's Jesus! He is still present! But why didn't you come help me? Didn't he see that I was about to die. And he yells: Meeeeestreeeee, save me! Peter did not expect to find help, he had lost hope, but now he can cry out to Jesus in his anguish. And the answer came. Jesus approaches Peter, with a serene gaze and full of tenderness he extends his hand, Peter thinks: I don't deserve this, I doubted his word. But the love of Jesus reaches the heart of Peter, who firmly holds the Lord's hand. A force seems to pass through his arms, something supernatural makes him tremble, his heart revives, the flame of his faith becomes greater than at the beginning, the presence of Jesus gives him a firm security, and peace invades his soul. Then in a moment he forgets the sea, the waves, the anguish, the fears, something like a blinding light clears his mind, he feels that he can trust the man who is beside him, Jesus of Nazareth, the humble carpenter, who had something more what humanity, was “Emmanuel”, was God with us. He stands up before Jesus, and he asks him tenderly: Man of little faith, why did you doubt? Peter, of course, has no words to answer. He just holds the hands of Jesus, who leads him to the boat, still walking on the water, but now Peter doesn't even realize it, the presence of Jesus makes everything else forgotten.
High dawn, rough seas, rushing winds; and Pedro feels as if he is walking on clouds, in the soft light of the morning sun, in the morning calm. The disciples, in the boat, were speechless before the scene they witnessed, barely breathing, eyes wide open, mind captivated, they were also looking steadily at Jesus, who enters the boat with Peter. A calm ensues, a heavenly peace takes over the environment, a majestic presence is felt in the flesh, a fear there is in the hearts of the disciples, no longer the fear of the sea, the waves, the winds, but something never felt, that inspires deep awe. They look at the face of Jesus, his gaze penetrates into their souls, as if seeing everything that goes on in their hearts. And Bowing down, they worship him saying: Truly thou art the Son of God!
