In today’s Gospel, the fact that Jesus can command the storm to be still, and can even cross the sea by walking on it, shows only one thing: that He is God. The disciples, even in their panic, would not only see the miracle – they would remember the scriptures. They would know that they were in the presence of the God who stills the waves, and makes the storms cease. But through His humanity, Jesus shows how much He loves the disciples, as He did after the resurrection when He appeared to them in the upper room saying: “Do not be afraid,†and “Peace be with you.†But the Gospel teaches us also about ourselves. The symbolism of the event reminds us that we are, in this life, in danger from the storms of this world. Personal sin, illness, bereavement and persecution can all cause storms in our lives. Temptations against living a life of faith can be frequent and strong. When Peter attempts to leave the boat and go to Christ on his own, he begins to sink. And what does Jesus do except put Peter back in the boat? Peter is often impetuous in the Gospels, and here his desire to go to Christ on his own gets him into trouble. He is saved by being brought back to the boat; and the ship can be seen as representing the Church. We are, of course, saved by God, but we are saved as members, so to speak, of a crew.