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There is a paradox in the incident described in today’s Gospel. The first incident is the storm on the lake. Here, the apostles immediately recognize the danger. After recognizing the danger, they promptly complain and ask for help. They do not want to die at sea. The apostles are quick to recognize danger, burden, and difficulty.
The paradox lies on the other side of the lake. Jesus comes walking on water to console them, comfort them, and assure them. However, do they recognize this blessing? They are so afraid of the blessing that they even think Jesus is a ghost. Why is this?
When difficulties arise, we are quick to identify them as hardships. But when blessings come, we may even suspect them to be apparitions or ghosts, intending to scare us.
This is the paradox of the Gospel. We are quick to see problems, criticize, and destroy. But when it comes to blessing one another, affirming one another, and building up one another, we become fearful. We are gripped by the fear of being misunderstood.
I am not suggesting that we should be slow in understanding problems. If we are quick in identifying problems, let us also be quick in recognizing blessings, because the reality is that there are more blessings than problems.
Let us ask the Lord to open our eyes to the reality that there are more beautiful things in the world than those we complain about. Let us open our eyes to the reality of God’s goodness and His consoling presence.
PROBLEMS AND BLESSINGS
Jn 16: 16-21
Looking for Jesus
