WALKING ON THE WATER: HOW CAN WE BELIEVE IN THE IMPOSSIBLE?

Igumen Nektary (Morozov), Elena Balayan

How can modern man believe in God and trust in Him, how can we feel what goes beyond the boundaries of the five human senses: Elena Balayan talks with Igumen Nektary (Morozov). (From their recent book, About the Church, Without Prejudice.)

-Inevitably awaiting anyone who takes an interest in Church life are the so-called questions of faith, regarding things that go beyond the boundaries of the natural laws of the world’s existence. These things are: the resurrection of the dead, the immaculate conception, the incarnation of God, and eternal life itself--all that is impossible to explain by the usual order of things. A person may think about them and arrive at a dead end, because he cannot understand how these things can be. How could someone physically rise from the dead? After all, such things don’t happen. How can one live eternally, what would we do during that eternity--it’s beyond comprehension! How can these questions be answered? Should we think about them and try to somehow come to grips with them, or simply accept them as a matter of faith and stop troubling ourselves?

Staying Afloat on the Sea of Life

Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov)  

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me (Matthew 14:30).

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord!

Today we had offered for our attention the wondrous and for us very precious account from the Gospel of the Lord’s miraculous walking on the sea and of His deliverance of His disciples, who were perishing in the waves of the sea, and of the Apostle Peter, who was trying to walk over the waves.

After the miraculous feeding of the five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes, the Evangelist Matthew relates: And straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a spirit”; and they cried out for fear. But straightaway Jesus spoke unto them, saying, “Be of good cheer: it is I, be not afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.” And He said, “Come.” And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid: and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, “Lord, save me.” And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped Him, saying, “Of a truth Thou art the Son of God.” And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret(Matthew 14:22-34).