Jump to Any Step (19 of 36 · Click to Expand All 36 Days & Exercises)
01. The Presupposition & How to Enter the Exercises02. Principle and Foundation03. The Daily & Particular Examen04. Meditation with the Three Powers on the First, Second & Third Sin05. Meditation on Personal Sins & The Exclamation of Wonder at God’s Mercy06. Repetitions of the First & Second Exercises with the Triple Colloquy07. Meditation with the Five Senses on Ultimate Separation08. The Call of the Temporal King & The Oblation to the Eternal King09. The First Contemplation: The Incarnation10. The Second Contemplation: The Nativity & Application of the Five Senses11. The Presentation in the Temple & The Flight into Egypt12. The Hidden Life at Nazareth & Finding the Boy Jesus in the Temple13. Meditation on the Two Standards & Second Week Rules for Discernment14. Meditation on the Three Pairs of Men15. Departure from Nazareth & Baptism in the River Jordan16. Christ Fasting & Tempted in the Desert17. The Call of the Apostles & The Wedding at Cana18. The Sermon on the Mount19. Calming the Storm & Walking on the Waters20. Sending the Apostles, The Sinful Woman Forgiven, Feeding the 5,000, The Transfiguration & Preaching in the Temple21. The Raising of Lazarus & The Supper at Bethany22. Palm Sunday: The Humble Entry into Jerusalem23. The Three Manners of Humility24. Making an Election25. The Last Supper, Washing the Feet & The Agony in Gethsemane26. Betrayal, Arrest & The Night at the Houses of Annas and Caiaphas27. Christ Before Pilate & Before Herod28. The Scourging at the Pillar, Crowning with Thorns & ‘Ecce Homo’29. Carrying the Cross & The Crucifixion30. The Descent from the Cross, The Burial & The Silence of Holy Saturday31. The Resurrection: Christ Appears to His Mother & to Mary Magdalene32. The Road to Emmaus, The Appearance to St. Peter & The Upper Room33. St. Thomas’s Confession & Breakfast by the Sea of Galilee34. The Great Commission & The Ascension of Christ Our Lord35. Contemplation to Gain Love36. The Three Methods of Prayer
Movement II · The Second Week (Illuminative Way) · Step 19 · Week 2, Day 9
St. Ignatius of Loyola · Exx. 161, 279–280

Calming the Storm & Walking on the Waters

Two nights of wind and waves on the Sea of Galilee: Christ asleep on a cushion in the stern until He commands a great calm, and Christ coming across the dark water in the fourth watch of the night saying, ‘It is I; be not afraid.’

Assigned Scripture Reading (NIV) & Mystery Points

Scripture Reading: Matthew 8:23–27 · Matthew 14:22–33 · Mark 4:35–41

Matthew 8:23–27 (NIV)
23Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. 27The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
Matthew 14:22–33 (NIV)
22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Mark 4:35–41 (NIV)
35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Points of the Mystery from St. Ignatius

Step 1 · Entering the Hour (2 Minutes)

Before You Start

Read Matthew 8:23–27 and Matthew 14:22–33. Stand a step or two from your place of prayer for an Our Father (Exx. 75), reverence the Lord, and pray the Preparatory Prayer (Exx. 46).

Step 2 · Orienting the Heart & Imagination (5 Minutes)

The Preludes

First Prelude · The Narrative (Exx. 279–280)

Call to mind the two storm scenes on the Sea of Galilee: first when Jesus sleeps in the boat and stills the tempest; second when He sends the disciples ahead while He prays alone on the mountain, and comes walking to them on the waves in the fourth watch of the night (between 3:00am and 6:00am).

Second Prelude · Composition of Place

See the wooden fishing boat pitching wildly in the dark waves of the Sea of Galilee, the spray soaking the oarsmen, and the solitary figure of Jesus either asleep in the stern or walking steadily across the whitecaps.

Third Prelude · Asking for What I Desire (Exx. 104)

Ask for an interior knowledge of our Lord, Who for me has become man, that I may more love Him and follow Him—especially with unshakeable trust in the storms of life.

Step 3 · The Body of the Exercise (30–40 Minutes)

How to Pray the Storm & Walking on the Water (See · Hear · Watch)

Notice the time stamp in Matthew 14:25: “in the fourth watch of the night” (3:00am to 6:00am—the exact hour of the pre-dawn monastic vigil!). Walk through the three rounds:

Round 1 · SEE the Persons (Exx. 106, 279–280)

  • In the first scene, see the veteran fishermen—men who know this lake intimately—terrified as waves swamp the boat, while Jesus sleeps peacefully on the stern cushion.
  • In the second scene, see Jesus alone on the dark mountain praying to the Father for hours while His disciples strain at the oars against a headwind below. Then, around 4:00am in the fourth watch, see Jesus walking toward them on the heaving water, and see Peter climbing over the gunwale onto the waves.
  • Reflect on yourself: Where in your life right now do you feel you are rowing hard against a contrary wind in the dark? Look up and see that Jesus has been watching you from the mountain and is walking right into your storm.

Round 2 · HEAR What They Are Saying (Exx. 107, 279–280)

  • Hear the disciples’ panicked cry: “Lord, save us: we perish!” (or in Mark 4:38, “Master, carest Thou not that we perish?”).
  • Hear Jesus’ sovereign word to the storm—“Peace, be still!”—and His gentle question to His friends: “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?”
  • In the fourth watch, hear His voice cutting through the roar of the wind: “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” Hear Peter say, “Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water,” and Jesus’ single word: “Come.” Then hear Peter’s shortest, truest prayer when he looks at the wind and begins to sink: “Lord, save me!”

Round 3 · WATCH What They Are Doing (Exx. 108, 279–280)

  • Watch Peter walk on the impossible water as long as his eyes stay fixed on Jesus—and watch him sink the instant he shifts his gaze to measuring the wind and waves.
  • Watch how immediately Jesus stretches forth His hand and catches him (“And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him”—Matt 14:31). Jesus does not let him drown to teach him a lesson; He catches him first, and only then asks gently, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
  • Watch the wind cease the moment Jesus steps into the boat, while everyone in the boat worships Him: “Of a truth Thou art the Son of God.”
Step 4 · Friend to Friend & Looking Back (15–20 Minutes)

Colloquy, Post-Prayer Review & Repetitions

1. The Colloquy (5 Minutes)

Speak to Christ in the boat after the wind has died down and the water is like glass. Thank Him for the times His hand caught you immediately when you took your eyes off Him and began to sink. Ask for the grace to keep your eyes fixed on Him whenever He says “Come.” Close with an Our Father.

2. The Post-Prayer Examen of Prayer (15 Minutes · Exx. 77)

After finishing the Our Father, remain quiet for ten to fifteen minutes (sitting or walking slowly) to examine how your prayer went. Ask: Where did my heart feel warmed, expanded, drawn to trust, or moved to tears (consolation)? Where did I feel dry, distracted, defensive, or negotiating with God (desolation or resistance)? Write down two or three honest sentences in your notebook.

3. Repetitions & Carrying the Mystery Through the Day

If you pray during the pre-dawn watch (around 4:00am), remember that you are praying in the fourth watch of the night—the exact watch when Christ comes walking across the dark waters saying, “It is I; be not afraid.”

Primary Text · From St. Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercises (Exx. 161, 279–280)
[279] OF HOW CHRIST OUR LORD MADE THE SEA CALM (Matthew viii, 23-27.) First Point. First: Whilst Christ our Lord was sleeping at sea, a great tempest arose in it. Second Point. Second: His structural disciples, frightened, woke Him; Whom He reprehended for the little faith which they had, saying to them: "What fear ye, pusillanimous men?" Third Point. Third: He commanded the winds and the sea to cease: and, So commanding, the sea became calm, at which the men wondered, saying: "Who is this the wind and the sea obey Him?" [280] OF HOW CHRIST WALKED ON THE SEA (Matthew xiv, 22-33.) First Point. First: Whilst Christ our Lord was on the mountain, He made His disciples embark in the little boat; and the multitude dismissed, He began to pray alone on the mountain. Second Point. Second: The little boat was beaten by the waves; to which Christ comes walking on the water; and the disciples thought that it was an apparition. Third Point. Third: Christ saying to them: "It is I, fear not"; St. Peter, at His bidding, came to Him walking on the water, who doubting began to sink: but Christ our Lord freed him and reprehended him for his little faith; and afterwards, on His entering into the little boat, the wind ceased.
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