Word of Life

August 2005

“You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:31)

It was night and the disciples were trying to cross Lake Tiberias in a storm-tossed boat with the wind against them. They had already found themselves in a similar situation once before, but then the Master had been with them in the boat (cf. Matt 8:23-7). This time he had stayed on land and had gone up the mountain to pray.

But Jesus did not leave them alone in the storm. He came down from the mountain and went towards them walking on the water and he encouraged them: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid” (Matt 14:27). Was it really Jesus or just a delusion? Peter, in doubt, asked him for proof: he asked that he too may walk on the water. Jesus called him to himself. Peter got out of the boat but the strong winds terrified him so that he began to sink. Then Jesus caught hold of his hand and said:

“You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Today too Jesus continues to say these words to us every time we feel alone and powerless in the storms that frequently batter our lives. These can be illnesses or problem situations in the family, acts of violence or injustices and so on. They cause doubts or even a sense of rebellion within us. “Why doesn’t God see? Why doesn’t he listen to me? Why doesn’t he come? Why doesn’t he do something? Where is the God-Love I have believed in? Is he just a figment of my imagination or a delusion?”

As he did to the fearful and unbelieving disciples, Jesus still says to us: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Just as he came down from the mountain to be close to them in their difficulty, now too the Risen Lord continues to come into our lives and walk alongside us as our companion. He never leaves us alone in a time of trial: he is there to share it with us. Perhaps we don’t believe this enough. That is why he says once more:

“You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Besides being a rebuke these words are an invitation to revive our faith. When Jesus was here on earth, he made many promises. For example “Ask and you will receive…” (cf. John 16:24); “Seek first for the kingdom of God … and all these things will be given to you as well” (cf. Matt 6:3); those who have left everything for him will be given the hundredfold in this life and eternal life as their inheritance (cf. Matt 19:29).

Everything can be obtained, but we must believe in the love of God. To be able to give to us, Jesus asks at least that we recognize he loves us.

Instead we often fret as if we had to face life alone, as if we were orphans, without a Father. Just like Peter, we are more aware of the choppy seas that seem to be overcoming us than of the presence of Jesus who takes us by the hand.

If we stopped to analyse what it is that is hurting us, our problems and difficulties, we should plunge into fear, anguish and discouragement. But we are not alone! We believe that there is Someone who takes care of us. We should look to him. He is close by even when we think he isn’t. Let’s believe this, trust in him and entrust ourselves to him.

When our faith is put to the test, let’s struggle and pray, like Peter who cried out “Lord, save me!” (Matt 14:30) or like the disciples in a similar situation “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38). He will always help us. His is a true love and he will shoulder the load of each of our burdens.

“You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

There was a young man of ‘little faith’ called Jean Luis who lived in Man, Ivory Coast, with his younger brothers and sisters, far from their parents. Although he was a Christian he, unlike the other members of his family, doubted God’s existence.

When rebels seized the town, four of them plundered the house and seeing his athletic build wanted to force Jean Luis to join them. The younger children pleaded with them but they would not listen.

The rebels were about to take Jean Luis away when their leader changed his mind and decided to leave him behind. Then he whispered to the elder girl: “Leave as quickly as you can, we’re coming back tomorrow…” and showed them which path to take.

The children asked themselves: “Will it be the right way? Or is it a trap?”

They set off at dawn without any money at all, but with a crumb of faith. They walked about 30 miles. Then they found someone who paid their fares on a lorry that was going towards their parents’ town. All along the way strangers gave them beds for the night and food to eat. No one checked their documents at the roadblocks and borders and eventually they reached home.

Later, their mother said: “Though they were exhausted, my children were overwhelmed by the love of God!”

The first thing Jean Luis did was to ask where the church was, saying: “Dad, your God is really strong!”

Chiara Lubich