August 9, 2026
Dear Friends,
I don’t know if you have watched or heard of the show The Chosen. In case you haven’t, The Chosen, it is a multi-season, episode-based, streaming show that dramatizes the life and ministry of Jesus. The pilot episode premiered in December of 2017, and the five seasons of the show released so far premiered in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025 respectively. Two more seasons are planned to be released in the coming years.
I was a bit hesitant to watch The Chosen when I first heard about it. It wasn’t until early 2022 that I finally forced myself to watch the pilot episode of The Chosen and, to my great surprise, I was immediately captivated by the show. Part of the attraction for me was how “real” I found the portrayal of Jesus to be. Of all the episodes I’ve watched, the one that had the greatest resonance with me was the season finale of Season 3.
That episode ended with the scene of Jesus walking on water, which we hear in this Sunday’s Gospel. I watched it at the movie theater, just days before I left for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. At that time, I was feeling a bit anxious about my ministry at St. Maria Goretti. I had been at the parish for 7 months and thought that things were going well. But I also had a sense that the Lord was calling me to trust in him in a deeper and fuller way.
While I don’t want to spoil it for those of you who haven’t seen it, I must tell you that it was probably the 10 most moving and powerful minutes of movie or television that I have ever seen. I’m sure that my reaction had to do with where I was in my life and ministry at the time, but watching poor Peter taking one cautious, labored step after another deeply resonated with me. Seeing him go through the water and wail his arms in desperation revealed to me something of what I was experiencing at the time. And watching him back in the boat, being tightly held by Jesus and pleading, “Don’t let go,” moved me to tears.
All of those thoughts and feelings came rushing back into my head and heart as I read and reflected on the Gospel account that we hear proclaimed this Sunday. Thanks to The Chosen, I receive this Word of the Lord with greater appreciation and gratitude. I can “see” myself more clearly in the place of the headstrong and foolish Peter, who struggled to keep his eyes fixed on Jesus and his ears open to Jesus’ encouragement.
During this time of preparation for the merger of St. Joseph and St. Maria Goretti, we are all being invited by the Lord to step out of the safety of the parishes we have known and loved, in order to allow him to lead us to the renewed parish he wants us to become. This may be as scary for us as stepping out into the water in the middle of storm was for Peter. But, if we place our faith in the Lord, then we will ground our life together on him, rather than our ourselves.
A few days after watching that powerful scene of The Chosen, I found myself in Bethlehem during my pilgrimage to the Holy Land. We went to a religious goods store owned by Christians, and I happened to see a beautiful icon depicting the scene of Jesus and Peter in the storm. I bought the icon and have kept it in my prayer corner in the rectory ever since. Every time I look at, I am reminded of the Lord’s call to put my faith in him. Below, you will find a picture of the icon.
Peace,
Father Leo
