Committed For Life

“Savior? — Who Needs a Savior?” is the title of a chapter in “The Parables of Peanuts” book. The chapter includes a cartoon strip in which Linus and Lucy are watching an infant crawling across the floor. “How long do you think it will be before Sally starts to walk?” Linus asks. “God grief!” says Lucy, what’s the hurry? Let her crawl around for awhile! Don’t rush her! She’s got all the time in the world.” Lucy stops to reflect for a moment. Then she says, “Once you stand up, and start to walk, you’re committed for life!”

The action in today’s Gospel story begins immediately after Jesus had fed more than five thousand people by miraculously multiplying a few loaves of bread and a few fish. Now Jesus instructs the disciples to precede Him by boat across the Sea of Galilee. But strong winds and high waves hinder their crossing. Then they see a figure walking across the water. It is Jesus, coming…