Chiara Lubich's commentary on the Word of life of August 2005

It was evening. The disciples were trying to cross the lake of Tiberias. Their boat was buffeted by a storm and the wind blew against them. They had already experienced a similar situation before (see Mt 8: 23-27). At that time the Teacher had been with them on the boat. This time he had remained on land and had gone up to the mountain to pray.
But Jesus did not abandon them to the storm. He came down the mountain and went out to meet them, walking on the water. He tried to lift their spirits: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid”(Mt 14:27). Was it really true, or only an illusion? Peter, who was doubtful, asked him for a sign: to also be able to walk on the water. Jesus called him over. Peter got out of the boat, but the menacing wind frightened him and he began to sink. Jesus then took him by the hand and said to him:

«O you of little faith, why did you doubt?»

Even today Jesus continues to repeat these words to us every time we feel alone and powerless during the storms that often batter us. These may take the form of illnesses or difficult family situations, acts of violence, injustices that allow doubts to creep into our hearts, if not outright rebellion: “Why doesn’t God see? Why doesn’t he listen to me? Why doesn’t he come to help me and intervene? Where is the God-Love I placed my faith in? Is he merely a ghost, an illusion?”
As he did with the fearful and incredulous disciples, Jesus continues to repeat: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” And just as he came down from the mountain to be close to them in their difficulties, so now too he, the Risen Lord, continues to come into our lives and walks beside us, as our traveling companion. He never leaves us alone in our trials: he shares them with us. Perhaps we do not believe enough in him, and for this reason he repeats to us:

«O you of little faith, why did you doubt?»

Besides being a reproof, these words are also an invitation to revive our faith. Jesus, while he was on earth, made many promises. He said, for example: “Ask and you will receive”(Jn 16:24); “Seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides” (Mt 6:33); and whoever has left everything for him “will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life” (Mt 19:29).
We can obtain everything, but we need to believe in the love of God. In order to give to us, Jesus asks that we at least recognize that he loves us.
Instead, we often worry as though we had to face life on our own, as if we were orphans, without a Father. Much like Peter, we are more attentive to the turbulent waves that seem to swamp us, rather than to the presence of Jesus who is ready to take us by the hand.

If we stopped to analyze whatever hurts us – the problems and the difficulties – we would be overcome by fear, anguish, and discouragement. But we are not alone! We believe that there is Someone who takes care of us. We need to turn to Him! He is near to us even when we do not feel his presence. Let’s believe in him, let’s trust him and entrust ourselves to him.
When our faith is tested, we struggle and pray, as Peter did when he cried out: “Lord, save me!” (Mt 14:30) or as the disciples did in a similar situation: “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mk 4:38) He will never withdraw his help from us. His love is real and he takes on each of our burdens.

«O you of little faith, why did you doubt?»

Jean Luis was a young person who also had “little faith.” Unlike the other members of his family, he doubted the existence of God, even though he was a Christian. He lived in Man, in the Ivory Coast, with his younger siblings, far from their parents.
When the city was taken over by rebel forces, four of the rebels invaded their home, ransacked everything, and, noticing Jean Luis’ athletic build, tried to force him to fight along side of them as a rebel. The younger brothers begged them to leave him alone, but to no avail.
The rebels were about to leave with Jean Luis, when their leader changed his mind and decided to let him go free. Then the leader whispered to the older sister: “Leave right away because tomorrow we will be back,” and he pointed out the road they should take.
“Would it really be safe to go? Was this only a trap?” they later asked themselves.
They departed at daybreak with no money in their pockets, but with a tiny bit of faith.
They walked for almost thirty miles. Then they found someone who paid for them to ride on a truck that was going in the direction of where their parents were living. On the way, total strangers offered them lodging and something to eat. At border crossings no one checked their documents. Finally, they arrived at the home of their parents.
Their mother recalled: “They were not in very good shape, but they were sure they had been guided continually by the love of God!”
The first thing Jean Luis asked was: “Where is the church?” Then he said to his father: “Dad, your God is really powerful!”

Chiara Lubich