We become what we believe
August 9, 2026 – Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a; Psalm 85, R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.; Romans 9:1-5; Gospel – Matthew 14:22-33
This Sunday I would like to focus our reflections on faith. We will look at Peter’s faith, his initial “success” and his faltering, as our first two points for reflection. Then we will go back to the fear of the disciples in the boat.
On faith and fear
Peter walking on water was a perfect moment of faith and fear. After the disciples overcame the initial shock of thinking Jesus walking on water was a ghost, Peter made this bold challenge: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
The Lord obliged. “Peter, come.”
Peter succeeded and walked on water. But when he got distracted, he lost his focus, faltered, and sank.
This is the story too of our faith and fear. There are bursts of inspiration in our spiritual journey that make us live our faith with enthusiasm and success. Like Peter, it begins with recognizing the Lord’s presence in our life, and we also tell the Lord, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
We heard from Scripture and from various persons that with God all things are possible. It was possible for Peter to walk on water because Jesus said: “Come.” And Peter placed his trust in Jesus’ invitation.
But when he lost focus on Jesus and started to notice his surroundings and “saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’”
It begins with faith in oneself
This too is our story. Think of the times you were able to do things boldly because of faith. It begins with faith in oneself.
In one of my teaching years (prior to my entering the seminary), I encountered a class that was so hard to motivate to perform. They were not lacking in excitement when we set our goals and plans—big dreams and aspirations—but when we needed to work and deliver, they fell short.
It was like Peter wanting to walk on water, and me inviting them, “Come,” but immediately they sank. After a while, I looked into it deeper. After talking to their class officers, I discovered the culprit. When they were in third year high school, they had one teacher who, day in and day out, told them how dumb they were and how surprising it was that they reached third year.
It was then I realized, as a young teacher, how important it was to help young people believe in themselves—to have a realistic knowledge of who they are, and discover the good in them and their giftedness.
We become what we believe. Beyond believing in one’s goodness and blessedness, it is believing that life, in general, is good. God is good.
Building the building blocks of life
What guided me a lot in dealing with my students in high school was the wish of Fr. Frank Reilly, S.J., one of my spiritual mentors, when I started teaching after college graduation. He wrote to me at the end of our seniors’ Holy Week retreat in 1980: “Help the youth of the high school discover Christ in their life.”
These were—still are—the building blocks of my life and work as a “teacher.” To help people believe in themselves as good, in the goodness of others, the world, and life in general, and in all this, discover a God who is good and loving.
As I see my students’ journey through life the past 40-plus years—batches 1981, 1982, 1983, then the mid-1990s to the early 2000s—all the more I am convinced of the importance of this grace.
We become what we believe. And this faith moving from the self towards others and leading to God must be accompanied by greater focus. There will be times of faltering, but we must also learn to reach out and say, “Lord, save me.”
A dynamic relationship in our lives
Faith and fear create a dynamic relationship in our lives in the same way they did in Peter’s story in the Gospel. It is a cycle of growth moving in a spiral trajectory that grows towards integration.
We touch on the same concerns and issues, similar successes and moments of faltering, but we always move towards integrating, becoming whole and holy. So each moment we lose focus and falter, recall Peter’s recovery—not just in this story, but numerous times. “Lord, save me.” “Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you.” (cf. John 21: 17)
Each time—and this is our last point for reflection—the Lord will stretch His hand and rescue us. This was how He helped the disciples at the start of the Gospel overcome their fear when they did not recognize Him and thought he was a ghost.
“Take courage, it is; do not be afraid.” This is the Lord’s constant assurance and abiding presence in our lives, in good times and more so in challenging times.
As the words of the song “I Am Ever with You” remind us:
I am with you, ‘til the end of your days
I am with you
Have faith that I hold you even when you let go
And I love you
You must know I am here; I am ever with you.
