GOSPEL READING: Matthew 14:23-34
23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now [a]in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, [b]“Be of good cheer! [c]It is I; do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw [d]that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those who were in the boat [e]came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” 34 When they had crossed over, they came [f]to the land of Gennesaret.
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ЕВАНГЕЛСКО ЧЕТИВО: Матеј 14, 23-34
23. Па штом го распушти народот, Он се искачи на планината, за да се помоли насамо. И таа вечер остана таму Сам. 24. А коработ беше веќе на сред море и брановите го удираа, зашто ветрот беше спротивен. 25. Но на четвртата стража, преку ноќта, дојде Исус при нив, одејќи по морето. 26. А учениците, штом Го видоа како оди по морето, се уплашија и рекоа: „Тоа е привидение” и од страв извикаа. 27. Но Исус веднаш почна да зборува со нив и им рече: „Не бојте се! Јас сум, не плашете се!” 28. А Петар, одговарајќи Му, рече: „Господи, ако си Ти, позволи да дојдам при Тебе во водата!” 29. И Исус му рече: „Дојди!” Па штом излезе од коработ, Петар тргна по водата за да оди при Исуса; 30. но, кога го виде силниот ветар, се уплаши, почна да потонува и извика: „Господи, спаси ме!” 31. Исус веднаш му подаде рака, го фати и му рече: „Маловернику, зошто се посомнева?” 32. И кога влегоа во коработ, ветрот престана. 033. А оние, што беа во коработ, се приближија до Него, Му се поклонија и рекоа: „Навистина, Ти си Син Божји!” 34. Па откако преминаа, дојдоа во земјата Генисаретска.
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Thoughts by St. Theophan the Recluse on the Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
The holy apostle Peter, with the Lord’s permission, gets down from the ship and walks on the water; then he yields to the movement of fear and begins to drown. The fact that he decided upon such an unusual act, hoping in the Lord, is nothing deserving reprimand—otherwise the Lord would not have allowed him to do this. The reprimand comes because he did not sustain the original state of his soul. He was filled with inspired hope in the Lord’s ability to do anything, and this gave him the boldness to entrust himself to the waves. Several steps were already made along this new path—it was necessary only to stand more firmly in hope, gazing at the Lord Who is near, and at the experience of walking in His strength. Instead, gave himself over to human thoughts: “The wind is strong, the waves are great, the water is not firm;” and this shook loose and weakened his firmness of faith and hope. Because of this he broke away from the Lord’s hands, and, left to the operation of nature’s laws, began to drown. The Lord rebuked him: O ye of little faith! Why did you doubt? showing that in this lay the entire reason for the misfortune. Behold a lesson for all who undertake something, great or small, with the aim of pleasing the Lord! Keep your first state of faith and hope, from which a great virtue is born—patience in doing good, which serves as the basis for a God-pleasing life. As long as these dispositions are maintained, inspiration for labouring on the path begun does not go away; and obstacles, no matter how great they may be, are not noticed. When these dispositions weaken, the soul is filled with human reasoning about human methods of preserving one’s life and conducting the affairs which one has begun. But since this reasoning always turns out to be powerless, fear of how one should be enters the soul; from this comes wavering—wondering whether or not to continue—and in the end comes a complete return. You must do it this way; if you begin, keep it up—chase away troubling thoughts, and be bold in the Lord, Who is nearby.
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