A few weeks ago, I saw Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey. Many scenes were filmed at sea. I have seen documentaries showing real moments when the cast was out at sea during a storm, and I thought about this Sunday’s Gospel.

The disciples were terrified, out at sea. Jesus is walking on the water! Today’s account reminds us that in the deepest storm and most horrific situations, Jesus will save us by our mustard-seed faith.

Here is an orienting quote from the Divine Milieu by Teilhard de Chardin:

In truth, the huge and dark thing, the phantom, the storm … is you! ‘It is I, be not afraid.’ The things in our life which terrify us, the things that threw you yourself into agony in the garden, are , ultimately, only the species or appearances, the matter, of one and the same sacrament.

The Gospels tell us much about Peter, not because he was the Rock, but because he was very much like us: a disciple who made many mistakes. Yet, in his mustard-seed faith, he responded to the Lord’s command and walked on water.

Jesus responded to his mustard-seed faith but was not content. Like a loving Father, he told Peter, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus loves us and meets us where we are to build us up. Such love provoked in Peter a faith that would not be stagnant at Pentecost.

Let’s take another look at a similar scene of Jesus in the storm. This time, he does not walk on water; he is already in the boat.

One of the most thought-provoking works of art I appreciate is Rembrandt van Rijn’s Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, completed in 1633 when the artist was 29 years old. Notably, this painting was once displayed at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, until it was stolen in 1990 by two individuals impersonating police officers. Authorities have never recovered the artwork. Rembrandt demonstrated exceptional mastery of light, using it to illuminate his subjects’ faces and to reveal deeper layers of meaning and emotion.

In this painting, a striking contrast emerges. The fierce, overpowering waves threaten to engulf the scene, yet amid this chaos, the small, radiant figure of Jesus stands out. His face glows, serving as a beacon of calm and control within the storm. Even without knowledge of the biblical narrative, this contrast powerfully symbolizes Jesus as the master over the waves and the storm.

Jesus entered the evening with his disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee. When life appears uncertain and we face periods of doubt, we can trust that Jesus remains present with us. We believe he can calm any internal storm in his perfect timing. The God who commands the elements is also able to move our hearts to love him and to encounter him in the quietness of a still, small voice.

Rembrandt’s masterpiece may still await recovery and rediscovery, yet its message endures. Jesus is not merely the calm center within the storm; he is the master of the storm itself. Every wave submits to his authority. If the waves respond to his word, should our hearts not do the same?