Today’s Psalmist calls upon his Lord Yahweh who is a warmaker to save the land of Israel, “Restore us, O Lord, our savior.” In the Gospel, Peter sees his peacemaker teacher in a boat on the water and calls upon him, “Have me to come to you.” Jesus does, “Come” he says, and so Peter “began to walk on the water.” “But when he saw how strong the wind was Peter became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Jesus, Save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
We’re accustomed to warmakers telling us about being saved – they do it by being a violent force. We’re less accustomed to peacemakers telling us about being saved – we do it by being a healing power. We’re less accustomed because Jesus, the peacemaker, has among the people calling themselves his followers, warmakers. Warmakers would have us doubt that Jesus was a peacemaker. Catholics at the San Sebastian Institute, for example, are those “of little faith,” who “doubt” Jesus was a peacemaker. They don’t call upon Jesus to save them amidst the violent force of war. They are themselves the violent force of war. They invite others to join them as that violent force. The Institute’s staff are military personnel and priests. They exist to “to forge courageous, disciplined Catholic leaders through military-style formation.” Staff were recently interviewed on EWTN to provide publicity for their Institute. They run a Kapaun course that trains priests in military leadership, stress management, and tactical skills. They also run a Grunt Padre Expedition “based on the tried-and-true methods that the US military employs to strengthen its officers and prepare them for leadership in peacetime and wartime.” In a time of concern about the militarization of society, often spoken about in reference to police, the militarization of the priesthood can be added to the conversation. Militarizing the priesthood is not so odd a process though if we recognize that Jesus wasn’t a priest. He was never ordained and he never ordained anyone else. One reason Jesus wasn’t a priest might be that the priesthood is an ancient form of military command. Priests were rulers who performed sacrifices, which included human sacrifices. Humans were sacrificed by priests in rituals prior to war, within the war itself as the primary human sacrifice ritual – that persists, and again after the war when 1 or more captured enemy were sacrificed. Jesus never doubted Peter. Peter doubted himself. So too members of the San Sebastian Institute doubt themselves. They spread that doubt – about the power that Jesus possessed as a peacemaker, that we all possess – about the power they possess as peacemakers. They doubt that they and all the rest of us are saved by peacemakers. Jesus, save us! – from warmakers who want to save us.
“all doubt is dead in this garden of blossoms that opens up in us and about us, so far from men… Let us be simple and good—and day be minister of light and affection to us.” (Emile Verhaeren)
Prayer: Beautiful Spirit, nurture us in being simple and good peacemakers.
Question: How do I show my faith in peacemaking?
August 09, 2026 Gospel Matthew 14:22033 Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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