A Lack of Focus

Gospel / Matthew 14:22-33:

After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

Blog:

Did you ever notice that while you are focusing on one thing, the other things in your peripheral view become a little blurry?  If you want to focus on them, you have to unlock your eyes from your first target and then focus on the new item(s).  It’s the same thing in movies when the camera focuses multiple times within the same view to bring different things into focus.  The irony in both our eyes and cameras is that our lenses are limited to focusing primarily on one thing at a time.  We can notice the other things and keep track of them, but they aren’t truly-focused for us.  It’s the same with our Faith.  If we stay focused on Christ, other things in our life become less important.  It’s not to say that they aren’t important at all; it’s that they’re not as important as Jesus.  The converse is true, as well.  If we don’t focus on Christ, we begin to sink to the demands of the world around us.  Just like St. Peter, we begin to fall.  With Jesus, it’s not so much about the lack of focus or the sinking; it’s more about the building-up of focus over the marathon of our Faith walks to focusing primarily on Him.  God knows that we will fall in our flesh when we lose focus.  He expects it.  But, He desperately hopes that we will re-focus daily on Him and welcome Him into our hearts, minds, and worlds.  He craves a one-on-one relationship with each and every one of us and that’s what truly makes Him the Son of God and the “one mediator between God and men” (1 Timothy 2:5).