Sermon 75

SERMO 75

On the Words of the Gospel, Matthew 14:24-33: But the boat was already many stadia from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”
"But the little boat in the midst of the sea was being tossed by the waves" and so forth.

A deeper meaning lies hidden in the deed.

The reading of the Gospel which we have just heard admonishes the humility of us all, to see and recognize where we are, and where we should be aiming and hastening to. For that ship carrying the disciples, which was laboring in the waves against an opposing wind, does not signify nothing. Nor without reason did the Lord, leaving the crowds, go up the mountain to pray alone; thereafter coming to His disciples, He found them in peril, walking on the sea, and strengthened them by boarding the ship, and calmed the waves. But what wonder is it if He who created all things can calm all things? However, after He boarded the ship, those being carried said, "Truly, you are the Son of God." But before this evidence, they were disturbed, seeing Him on the sea. For they said, "It is a ghost." But He, boarding the ship, took away the wavering of mind from their hearts, where they were already in more peril from doubt in their minds than in their bodies on the waves.

What the crossing of the sea in a ship signifies.

In all things, however, which the Lord has done, He reminds us how we should live here. For no one is not a stranger in this world: although not everyone desires to return to their homeland. From the very journey itself, we suffer waves and storms: but there is a need for us to at least be in the ship. For if in the ship there are dangers, without the ship there is certain destruction. No matter how great the strength of the arms of one who swims in the sea, eventually he is overcome by the vastness of the sea, absorbed and drowned. Therefore, it is necessary for us to be in the ship, that is, to be borne by the wood, so that we may be able to cross this sea. Now this wood, by which our weakness is carried, is the cross of the Lord, on which we are marked, and from the drownings of this world we are delivered. We suffer the waves: but it is He, God, who helps us.

The prayer of Christ on the mountain.

For the Lord who ascends alone to pray on the mountain, leaving the crowds behind, that mountain signifies the heights of heaven. For leaving the crowds, the Lord alone ascends to heaven after the resurrection, and there he intercedes for us, as the Apostle says. Therefore, what is signified is that, leaving the crowds, he ascends the mountain to pray alone. For he is still the firstborn from the dead, after the resurrection of the body at the right hand of the Father, priest and advocate of our prayers. The head of the Church is above, so that the other members may follow in the end. If, therefore, he intercedes for us, as if at the peak of the mountain, above the height of all creatures, he prays alone.

A ship tossed by a storm.

Meanwhile, the ship carrying the disciples, that is, the Church, is tossed and shaken by the storms of temptations: and the contrary wind does not cease, that is, the devil opposing it, who strives to hinder it from reaching rest. But greater is He who intercedes for us. For in this fluctuation of ours in which we labor, He gives us confidence, coming to us and comforting us: only let us not, dismayed in the ship, throw ourselves overboard and cast ourselves into the sea. For although the ship is shaken, it is nonetheless a ship. It alone carries the disciples and receives Christ. Indeed, it is in peril in the sea: but without it, death is immediate. Therefore, hold yourself in the ship and pray to God. For when all counsels fail, when neither the rudders suffice, and even the spreading of the sails is more to danger than to utility; with all human aids and strengths abandoned, the sailors' sole recourse is to pray and to pour out their voices to God. He then grants to sailors that they reach the harbor; will He abandon His Church, that He does not lead it to rest?

The storm in the absence of the Lord.

However, brothers, the greatest disturbance in this ship is only in the absence of the Lord. Established in the Church, does it have the Lord absent? When does it have the Lord absent? When it is overcome by some desire. For as it is understood in the sacrament in a certain place: Let not the sun go down upon your wrath; nor give place to the devil: it is understood, not of this sun that has a certain elevation among visible heavenly things, which can be seen commonly both by us and by beasts; but of that light, which only the pure hearts of the faithful see, as it is said: He was the true light, which illuminates every man coming into this world. For this light of the visible sun also illuminates even the smallest and briefest animals. Therefore, the true light is justice and wisdom, which the mind ceases to see, when it has been overcome by the disturbance of anger as if by a cloud: and then it is as if the sun sets over the anger of man. And so in this ship, when Christ is absent, each one is shaken by his own storms, and by his iniquities and desires. For the Law says to you, by way of example: You shall not bear false witness. If you understand the truth of the testimony, you have light in your mind: but if, overcome by base greed, you have determined in your mind to bear false witness, you will already begin to be troubled by the storm with Christ absent; you will be tossed by the waves of your avarice, you will be endangered by the storm of your lusts, and as if Christ were absent, you will almost be submerged.

To look back.

How fearful it is, lest the ship should turn away and look back? This happens when, abandoning the hope of heavenly rewards, one is turned aside by longing towards visible and transient things. For even those who are disturbed by temptations of lust, and yet look within, are not entirely desperate, seeking pardon for their sins and striving to overcome and pass through the rage of the storming sea. But those who are so turned away from themselves that they say in their heart, "God does not see; neither does He think of me, or care whether I sin": they turn the prow, are carried by the storm, and are driven back from where they came. For there are many thoughts in the hearts of men: and by the waves of this age, and by many tempests, the ship is troubled when Christ is absent.

Fourth watch of the night.

But in the fourth watch of the night, which is the end of the night—for one watch consists of three hours—the Lord comes to aid at the end of the age, and He is seen walking on the waters. Although this ship is troubled by the storms of temptation, it nevertheless sees God glorified walking over all the swells of the sea; that is, over all the principalities of this world. For it had previously been said through His passion that when He, according to the flesh, showed the example of humility, the waves of the sea raged against Him, to which He yielded willingly for us, so that the prophecy might be fulfilled: "I have come into deep waters, and the storm overwhelmed me." For He did not repel false witnesses nor the raging clamor of those shouting, "Crucify Him." He did not suppress the rabid hearts and mouths of the furious by force, but endured with patience. They did to Him all they wished; for He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. But after He rose from the dead, so that He might alone pray for the disciples established in the Church as in a ship, and carried by the faith of His cross as by wood, and endangered by the temptations of this world as by the waves of the sea, His name began to be honored in this world, in which He was despised, accused, and killed. So that He who had come in the flesh into the deep waters according to His passion, and had been overwhelmed by the storm, might now trample on the necks of the proud as the foam of the waves by the honor of His name. Just as now we see the Lord as though walking on the sea, under whose feet we see all the fury of this world subjected.

The error of the disciples portrays the errors of the heretics.

But to the dangers of the storms are added also the errors of heretics; and there are those who try to tempt the souls of those in the ship by saying that Christ was not born of a virgin, nor had a true body, but that what was seen by the eyes was something that was not true. And these opinions of the heretics have now arisen, when the name of Christ is already glorified among all nations, just as Christ now walks on the sea. The tempted disciples said, "It is a ghost." But he confirms us against these plagues with his voice, saying: "Take heart; it is I; do not be afraid." For by vain fear do men think these things about Christ, considering His honor and majesty: and they think that He could not have been born in such a way, who has merited to be glorified in such a way, as if they are terrified of one walking on the sea. By this deed is figurated the excellence of His honor: and so they think it was a ghost. But when He says: “It is I;” what else does He say but that He is not what He is not? Therefore, if He showed flesh, it was flesh; if bones, they were bones; if scars, they were scars. For He did not have in Himself, “Yes,” and “No,” but “Yes” was in Him, as the Apostle says. Hence comes that voice: "Take heart; it is I; do not be afraid." That is, "Do not be so terrified of my dignity that you would want to take away from me the truth. Even if I walk on the sea, even if I have the pride and vainglory of this world under my feet like wild waves, nevertheless I appeared as a true man, nevertheless my Gospel truly proclaims about me, that I was born of a virgin, that the Word was made flesh; that I truly said: Touch and see, for a spirit does not have bones as you see that I have; that the hands of the doubting one touched the true marks of my wounds. Therefore: It is I; do not be afraid."

Another errorlikewise shaped.

Not only does this matter signify those alone who thought that it was a ghost; it not only designates those who deny that the Lord had human flesh, and sometimes also disturb those who are in the ship with blind perversity: but even those who think that the Lord lied in some things, and do not believe that what He threatened to the impious will come to pass. As though He were partly truthful and partly deceitful, like a ghost appearing in words, as if He is and is not. But those who understand well the voice saying: I am; do not be afraid; already believe all the words of the Lord, so that just as they hope for the rewards He promises, they also fear the penalties He threatens. For just as it is true what He will say to those on the right: Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: so it is true what those on the left will hear: Depart into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. For this opinion, by which men think that Christ did not truly threaten the wicked and lost, arose from this, that they see many people and innumerable crowds subject to His name: so from this it seems to them that Christ is a ghost, because He walked on the sea; that is, He seems to lie in threatening punishments, because He seemingly cannot destroy so many innumerable people who are subject to His name and honor. But let them hear Him saying: I am. Therefore, let those not fear who believe that Christ is truthful in all things, not only desiring what He promised, but also avoiding what He threatened: for even if He walks on the sea, that is, all types of men established in this age are subject to Him; yet He is not a ghost, and therefore does not lie when He says: Not everyone who says to Me: Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven.

Peter walking on the sea.

What then does it signify that Peter dared to come to Him on the waters? For Peter often bears the person of the Church. What else do we think this meant: "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the waters," except "Lord, if You are truthful and do not lie in any way, let Your Church also be glorified in this world, for prophecy proclaimed this about You"? Let it then walk on the waters, and thus come to You, the one to whom it was said: "The rich among the people will seek your favor." But since human praise does not tempt the Lord, and people in the Church are often disturbed by human praises and honors, and almost sink; therefore Peter trembled on the sea, fearing the great force of the storm. For who does not fear that voice: "Those who call you happy lead you astray, and disturb the paths of your feet"? And because the soul struggles against the desire for human praise, it is good in such a danger to turn to prayer and supplication: lest he who is soothed by praise is overthrown and submerged by reproach. Let Peter, wavering on the wave, cry out and say: "Lord, save me." The Lord then extends His hand: and though He rebukes, saying: "O you of little faith, why did you doubt? Why did you not keep a straight path, looking at Him to whom you were coming, and boast only in the Lord?" Yet He rescues him from the waves, and does not allow him to perish, confessing his weakness and seeking His help. When the Lord is taken into the boat, and faith is confirmed, all doubt removed, and the tempests of the sea calmed, so that they come to the stability and security of the land, all worship saying: "Truly You are the Son of God." For this is the eternal joy, by which the clear truth, and the Word of God, and the Wisdom through which all things were made, and the eminence of His mercy, are known and loved.