The Storms of Life 人生的风暴
- 3 days ago
- 11 min read
This Sunday's Gospel narrates the miracle of Jesus walking on the sea during a severe storm, after which the disciples gained greater faith and a deeper understanding of who he was. In the midst of many storms, Jesus says to us, "It is I. Do not be afraid." We invite you to read more in Fr. Joseph's latest bilingual Scripture reflection, included below in Chinese and then in English:
Scripture Reflection in Chinese
常年期第十九主日 甲年
今天我们庆祝常年期第十九主日。福音记载耶稣步行海面的奇迹。圣玛窦把这个奇迹安排在五饼二鱼之后，最后以门徒的一句信仰宣认结束：“你真是天主子。”整个过程逐步启示耶稣的身份。门徒经历黑夜、逆风和恐惧，又亲眼看见伯多禄在水面上行走、下沉和获救，终于对耶稣有了更深的认识。第一篇读经中的厄里亚在曷勒布山辨认上主的临在；福音中的门徒也在风浪中学习认出向他们走来的主。
五饼二鱼的奇迹结束以后，耶稣“催门徒上船”，叫他们先到对岸去。门徒按照耶稣的吩咐出发，却在途中遇到逆风，船被波浪颠簸。这里让我们看到一个重要的信仰经验：跟随基督的人仍然会经历风浪。亚巴郎蒙召以后离开故乡，梅瑟接受使命以后面对法郎，以色列人出离埃及以后经过旷野，宗徒跟随耶稣以后也经历许多考验。信德给人的力量，在于无论环境怎样改变，仍然相信天主的带领。
当门徒在海上挣扎的时候，耶稣独自上山祈祷。到了夜间第四更，耶稣踏着海面向他们走来。门徒最初没有认出祂，反而惊慌地说：“是个妖怪！”救援已经来到，他们却因为恐惧而认不出主。耶稣立刻对他们说：“放心吧！是我。不必害怕！”
“是我”这句话值得注意。它使人想起旧约中天主启示自己的语言。耶稣步行海面也有深厚的圣经背景。在旧约中，大海经常象征人无法控制的混乱和危险。《约伯传》称天主为那位“独自展开苍天，步行在海涛之上”的主（约9:8）。耶稣在海面上行走，显示祂拥有超越风浪的权威。圣玛窦借着这个奇迹，引导门徒逐渐认识耶稣真正的身份。耶稣说“是我”的时候，同时告诉门徒：“不必害怕。”他们可以放心，因为主已经来到他们中间。
伯多禄听见耶稣的声音，便说：“主啊！如果是你，就让我在水面上走到你那里去吧！”耶稣回答：“来吧！”伯多禄真的离开了船，开始在水面上向耶稣走去。我们常常记得伯多禄后来沉下去，却容易忽略他曾经勇敢地跨出了这一步。在十二位宗徒中，是伯多禄走出了船。他敢于回应耶稣的召叫，把自己交托给主。耶稣说“来吧”，伯多禄便开始走。这也说明圣召最基本的意义：基督先召叫，人以信德回应。人的力量来自召叫他的基督。
随后，伯多禄“看见风势强大，便害怕起来，并开始下沉”。其实风浪一直都在那里。伯多禄离开船的时候有风，他走在水面上的时候也有风。后来发生变化的是他的目光。他开始注意风浪，恐惧便占据了他的心。
耶稣称伯多禄为“小信德的人”。圣玛窦多次用“小信德”来形容门徒。这句话很符合我们的信仰经验。我们已经相信天主，信德仍然需要成长。我们回应天主的召叫，有时仍会害怕。我们把生命交托给主，有时仍会因为眼前的困难而动摇。伯多禄的经历让我们看到，信德是在一次又一次的考验中成长的。
伯多禄开始下沉时大声喊道：“主啊！救命啊！”这是一句非常简单而真实的祈祷。人在危难中意识到自己的有限，也更深地明白自己需要天主。圣玛窦接着写道：“耶稣立刻伸手拉住他。”这里的“立刻”很重要。伯多禄的信德虽然软弱，他所呼求的主始终忠信。基督徒的希望建立在基督伸出的这只手上。人在下沉的时候仍然可以呼求祂，因为基督愿意走近人，听见人的呼求，把人从深水中拉起来。
耶稣随后问伯多禄：“你为什么怀疑呢？”怀疑常常出现在信德成长的过程中。伯多禄已经离开了船，已经向基督走去，后来才发生动摇。我们的信仰生活也有这样的经验。我们已经相信天主，有时仍然无法理解祂带领我们的方式。亚巴郎、梅瑟、先知和宗徒都经历过这样的考验。信德经过考验，会逐渐放下对自己的依赖，更深地信赖天主的忠信。
当耶稣和伯多禄上船以后，风停了。福音在这里达到高峰：“船上的人都朝拜他说：‘你真是天主子。’”在《玛窦福音》中，“朝拜”具有重要的意义。贤士来到白冷朝拜婴孩耶稣；耶稣复活以后，门徒在加里肋亚山上看见祂，也俯伏朝拜。今天门徒在船上作出同样的行动。他们经过风浪，对耶稣的认识更深了。他们逐渐明白，与他们同船的这一位拥有来自天主的权威。这场风浪因此成为一次信仰的启示，使他们能够宣认：“你真是天主子。”
今天第一篇读经中的厄里亚也经历了一个辨认天主的过程。他来到曷勒布山，看见暴风、地震和烈火，最后在“轻微细弱的风声”中认出上主。厄里亚的经验提醒我们，天主临在的方式常常十分安静。我们希望马上看见答案，天主有时带领我们等待；我们希望环境迅速改变，天主有时先在我们的内心工作。长期的祈祷、圣言带来的光照、圣事赐下的恩宠和良心深处的一份平安，都能帮助我们逐渐辨认天主的临在。
第二篇读经中的圣保禄让我们看到信德成熟以后所产生的爱。他为了自己的同胞“极度忧愁，心中不断痛苦”，甚至愿意为他们承受巨大的牺牲。保禄深深经历了基督的救恩，因此他的心开始承担别人的得救。真正经历过基督救恩的人，会关心那些仍在风浪中的人。我们曾经呼喊“主啊！救我”，也曾经感受到基督伸出的手，因此我们更能理解别人的软弱，并帮助他们重新发现基督的临在。这也是教会福传使命的重要基础。
弟兄姊妹们，我们每个人都会经历自己的风浪。家庭、工作、健康、人际关系和信仰生活，都可能使我们感到不安。有时祈祷似乎得不到回答，原来清楚的道路突然变得模糊，我们也可能无法理解天主为什么允许某些事情发生。这个时候，我们很容易像伯多禄一样，只看见眼前的风浪。
今天的福音提醒我们，基督知道我们的船在哪里。门徒在黑夜中看不见耶稣的时候，耶稣已经向他们走来；伯多禄开始下沉的时候，耶稣已经伸出手来。我们生命中也有许多这样的时刻。经过多年以后回头看，我们才发现某一次困难加深了我们的信仰，某一段等待使我们的祈祷更加真实，某一次失败教会我们谦卑，某一个危机使我们懂得怎样把自己交托给天主。
当风浪再次来到的时候，让我们记住耶稣的话：“放心吧！是我。不必害怕！”当自己的力量已经不够时，让我们像伯多禄一样呼喊：“主啊！救我！”愿我们在人生一次又一次的经历中更深地认识基督，接受祂伸出的手，最后能够和门徒一起，以自己的生命宣认：“主，你真是天主子。”
Scripture Reflection in English
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time — Year A
Today we celebrate the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Gospel presents the remarkable scene of Jesus walking on the sea. Matthew places this event immediately after the multiplication of the loaves and brings the story to its climax with the disciples’ profession of faith: “Truly, you are the Son of God.” The whole passage gradually reveals the identity of Jesus. Through darkness, contrary winds, fear, and Peter’s experience of walking on the water, sinking, and being rescued, the disciples come to a deeper understanding of the One who stands before them. In the first reading, Elijah learns to recognize the presence of the Lord at Horeb. In the Gospel, the disciples also learn to recognize the Lord as he comes to them in the midst of the storm.
After the multiplication of the loaves, Jesus “made the disciples get into a boat” and go ahead of him to the other side. They obey his command, yet they soon encounter a strong headwind, and their boat is tossed about by the waves. This reveals an important truth about the life of faith: those who follow Christ will still encounter storms. Abraham left his homeland after receiving God’s call. Moses had to confront Pharaoh after accepting his mission. Israel passed through the wilderness after leaving Egypt. The apostles themselves encountered many trials after following Jesus. Faith gives us the strength to trust in God’s guidance even when circumstances become difficult.
While the disciples are struggling at sea, Jesus goes up the mountain alone to pray. During the fourth watch of the night, he comes toward them, walking on the sea. At first, the disciples fail to recognize him. Terrified, they cry out, “It is a ghost!” The One who comes to save them is already near, yet fear prevents them from recognizing him. Jesus immediately speaks to them: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
The words “it is I” deserve particular attention. The Greek expression egō eimi recalls the biblical language of divine self-revelation. The act of walking on the sea also carries a rich biblical background. In the Old Testament, the sea often represents forces of chaos and danger beyond human control. The Book of Job speaks of God as the One who “treads upon the crests of the sea” (Job 9:8). Jesus’ walking upon the water therefore reveals an authority that belongs to God. Matthew leads the disciples toward a deeper recognition of Jesus’ identity. When Jesus says, “It is I,” he immediately adds, “Do not be afraid.” Their courage rests upon his presence. The Lord has come into the very place where they are afraid.
Peter hears the voice of Jesus and replies, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus simply says, “Come.” Peter steps out of the boat and begins to walk toward him. We often remember that Peter eventually sinks, but we should first recognize the courage of his response. Among the Twelve, Peter is the one who steps out of the boat. He entrusts himself to the word of Christ. Jesus says, “Come,” and Peter goes. Here we see the basic pattern of every vocation: Christ calls, and the disciple responds in faith. The disciple’s strength comes from the One who calls.
Then Peter “saw how strong the wind was,” became frightened, and began to sink. The wind had been there all along. It was blowing when Peter stepped out of the boat, and it was still blowing while he walked on the water. What changes is Peter’s attention. He begins to focus on the wind, and fear takes hold of him.
Jesus calls Peter a man of “little faith.” Matthew uses this expression several times in describing the disciples. It speaks directly to our own experience. We believe, yet our faith still needs to grow. We respond to God’s call, yet we sometimes become afraid. We entrust our lives to the Lord, yet difficulties can still shake our confidence. Peter’s experience shows us that faith grows through testing and through a renewed trust in Christ.
As Peter begins to sink, he cries out, “Lord, save me!” It is one of the shortest and most sincere prayers in the Gospel. In a moment of danger, Peter recognizes his limits and his need for the Lord. Matthew then tells us, “Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter.” The word “immediately” is significant. Peter’s faith is weak, but the Lord whom he calls upon remains faithful. Christian hope rests upon this outstretched hand of Christ. Even when we feel ourselves sinking, we can call upon him. Christ draws near, hears the cry of the disciple, and reaches into the depths to raise him up.
Jesus then asks Peter, “Why did you doubt?” Doubt often arises within the process of growing in faith. Peter has already left the boat and begun walking toward Christ when his confidence begins to falter. We know this experience as well. We believe in God, yet there are times when we cannot understand the way he is leading us. Abraham, Moses, the prophets, and the apostles all passed through such moments. Faith tested by difficulty gradually learns to rely less upon our own certainty and more deeply upon the faithfulness of God.
When Jesus and Peter enter the boat, the wind dies down. At this point the Gospel reaches its climax: “Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’” This act of homage has particular significance in Matthew’s Gospel. The Magi come to Bethlehem and do homage to the child Jesus. After the Resurrection, the disciples see the risen Lord on the mountain in Galilee and bow down before him. Here, on the sea, the disciples respond in the same way. Their experience of the storm has brought them to a deeper knowledge of Jesus. They begin to recognize that the One who is with them possesses divine authority. The storm becomes a moment of revelation, leading them to confess: “Truly, you are the Son of God.”
The first reading presents another experience of learning to recognize God. Elijah comes to Horeb and witnesses a strong wind, an earthquake, and fire. Finally, he encounters the Lord in a “tiny whispering sound.” Elijah’s experience reminds us that God often works quietly. We may hope for an immediate answer, while God sometimes leads us through a period of waiting. We may want our circumstances to change quickly, while God may first be working within our hearts. Perseverance in prayer, light received through the Word of God, grace received in the sacraments, and a quiet peace within the conscience can gradually teach us to recognize the presence of God.
In the second reading, Saint Paul shows us how mature faith bears fruit in love. He speaks of his “great sorrow and constant anguish” for his own people and expresses his willingness to make an extraordinary sacrifice for their salvation. Paul has experienced the saving grace of Christ so deeply that his heart now carries concern for the salvation of others. Those who have experienced the saving hand of Christ become attentive to others who are still struggling in the storm. Having cried out ourselves, “Lord, save me,” and having known the hand of Christ reaching toward us, we become more capable of understanding the weakness of others and helping them recognize the presence of the Lord. This experience lies at the heart of the Church’s mission of evangelization.
Brothers and sisters, each of us encounters storms in life. They may arise in our families, our work, our health, our relationships, or even within our life of faith. There are moments when prayer seems unanswered, when a path that once seemed clear becomes uncertain, and when we struggle to understand why God permits certain things to happen. At such times, like Peter, we can become absorbed by the wind and the waves before us.
Today’s Gospel reminds us that Christ knows exactly where our boat is. While the disciples cannot see Jesus in the darkness, he is already coming toward them. When Peter begins to sink, the hand of Jesus is already reaching out to him. We often discover the same truth only after many years have passed. Looking back, we realize that a certain difficulty deepened our faith, a period of waiting made our prayer more sincere, a failure taught us humility, or a crisis taught us what it truly means to entrust ourselves to God.
When the storms of life come, may we hear again the words of Jesus: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” When our own strength is no longer enough, may we have the faith to cry out with Peter, “Lord, save me!” Through every experience of life, may we come to know Christ more deeply, receive his outstretched hand, and make the confession of the disciples our own: “Truly, you are the Son of God.”
Fr. (Joseph) Guozhang Ruan was born and ordained in China. After serving in parish ministry in the Diocese of Mindong, Fujian, he pursued advanced studies in moral theology in Rome, earning a doctorate from the Pontifical Lateran University. Since coming to the United States in 2004, he has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of the Chinese Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New York and Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Church on Staten Island. His ministry focuses on serving Chinese Catholics, promoting evangelization, and fostering greater understanding between the Church in China and the universal Church.
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