August 5, 2026

One day after teaching the crowds, Jesus told his disciples to go ahead by boat to the other shore of the sea. After they set out, he went to the mountain to pray. In the middle of the night, in the midst of a storm, he came walking across the water to the boat. The disciples were terrified, thinking he was a ghost.

Jesus said, “Take courage, it’s me, don’t be afraid.” Peter said, “Lord, if it’s you, command me to come to you on the water,” and Jesus said “Come.”  Peter started walking on the water to him, but when he saw how strong the wind was, he got frightened and began to sink. He called out, “Lord save me!” Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.  Jesus said, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”  Once they got into the boat, the wind died down (Matthew 14:22-36).

One of the messages here is that as long as Peter had his eyes on where he was going, he was fine, but as soon as he let fear of the wind take over, he started to sink. When we keep our focus on our greater vision, we can do it. But fear itself can be the obstacle and cause us to sink. This can be fear of external harms or it can be fear that is self-doubt.  We need to have faith in our vision and hope in our hearts.

These lessons apply also to societal challenges. When evil and corruption prevail, we must not give in to fear.  Don’t let fear rule the day. Don’t sink into despair, don’t be spooked by fear. Instead, focus on the positive vision of a peaceful and just society. With hope, perseverance, and dedication, with one small action after another, we collectively can get there. 

“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” These words echo through the ages. Amen. 

Postscript: May we say for a moment that Zion is meant to be a spiritual destination, and not just a literal earthly place that leads to warfare and suffering. Remember that God said through the prophets that he prefers purity of heart to material sacrifices. The same principle applies. It is a complicated issue, but let us remember that Zion is meant to have spiritual meaning, not warfare.