Jesus badly need time to be alone with his Father. He had not had any time to grieve for John the Baptist and he had given himself untiringly to the crowds, feeding them and then curing their sick. He must have been concerned however about his friends, the disciples, who were battling with the elements. As fishermen they would have known only too well the danger they were in.
In the first reading, Elijah expected God to be present in the violent wind or in the earthquake. The All-Powerful God does not need or want to manifest himself in drama. He comes gently like the gentle breeze, not forcing his presence but waiting for our invitation. Jesus, God Incarnate, had rejected Satan’s temptation to impress the populace with a spectacular leap from the Temple (Matt. 4:1-11). He used his power to help people, not to make himself into a celebrity. On this occasion, however, he must have felt a need to reach his friends urgently, and walking on the water was probably the only way he could do this.
Peter, who was always adventurous, wanted to try walking on the water for himself. Trust in God in dire situations can be very difficult, especially for Peter who was only starting his journey with the Lord. The symbolism of him reaching out helplessly to Jesus as he sank in the raging waters ought to touch us deeply. We, too, need to cry, “Lord, save us or we perish” when things move beyond our control.