You have no doubt heard me say, many times, that Peter is my patron saint – along with Óscar Romero. The latter because of his profound example, and the former because he is a wee bit of a mess, just like me. Peter is always in trouble; always messing up; always profoundly wrong. Yet, he tries. And tries. And tries. After all, his issue is not that he has no faith, but that he does not have enough faith. Peter’s faith is, “present but not perfect.” I can surely relate!
Peter and the other disciples have listened to Jesus describe the Kingdom of Heaven, and they have witnessed its enactment and its enfleshment in the feeding of the multitude. In fact, following the sharing of the parables, Jesus asks the disciples outright, “Have you understood all this?” And they answered, “Yes” (Matthew 13:51). Yet, only a short time later the disciples find themselves on the Sea of Galilee, in a storm, and yet still do not trust God to protect and guide them; nor do they recognize Jesus as he approaches them. Instead, they, like the sea, are harassed and tortured (vs. 24), and real terror strikes them as Jesus approaches (vs. 26) for they assume him to be an apparition (and an evil one at that), engaged in some cosmic battle against the elements – a common myth at the time.
Peter then acts in his customarily impulsive way, pretty much testing Jesus by asking him to prove his identity: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water” (vs. 28). Jesus responds with a test of his own; in effect saying, “okay, on you come!” But Peter shows the same doubt (distazō) as that which the other disciples will demonstrate after Jesus’ resurrection (28:16-20) – and all this despite Jesus’ powerful and assuring words: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid” (vs. 27). These words, so familiar to those who know their Bible – and so reminiscent of Isaiah 43 – declare that Jesus is one who reveals the God of Israel, and indeed is closely related to that God. Only at the end of the passage do the disciples begin to understand what is happening and who Jesus is: “Truly you are the Son of God” (vs 33).
So, there we have Peter, the patron saint of all those whose faith is present but far from perfect; of those who test God rather than trust God; who proudly declare that they understand, and then live in a manner that belies their understanding; and who need a good soaking and some holy terror before they truly know the one who in love reaches out his hand to save them.
