Afloat on a Stormy Sea
Homily for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 9, 2020
One of the ancient symbols for the Church is a boat. I suppose this is appropriate, given that the first disciples Jesus called were fishermen. Jesus would often teach from a boat anchored near the shore, or accompany the apostles as they crossed a lake. Today I’d like to explore the boat symbolism in light of today’s gospel.
I recently read a fascinating article written by a pastor who, along with three generations of his family, went on an Alaskan cruise. In the article he reflected on the ways in which the Church is more like a boat rather than a ship.
- On a cruise ship, the people are passengers, a very passive role. All the important decisions and actions are controlled by others—namely, the crew. By contrast, ancient mariners were not passengers; they were the crew. If they wanted to get anywhere, they had to do the work.
- Passengers on a cruise ship pretty much do their own thing. With a myriad of options, even family members can choose different activities. But on a boat teamwork is required. Raising sails and navigating by the stars requires cooperative activity.
- Passengers on a cruise ship dine at separate tables, or in their own rooms, and they don’t have to mix very much. But on a boat, everyone eats at the same table. They are involved in preparing and sharing the meal and cleaning up afterwards.
- Passengers on cruise ships are entertained, often with elaborate, high-end acts. Those on ancient boats, by contrast had to entertain themselves—sharing stories, learning skills, getting through long nights together.
- It doesn’t take much courage to sign up for a cruise ( although the covid-19 pandemic would make me think twice). But on ancient boats the sea could be terrifying, and it took guts to sail on a creaky wooden boat. In today’s gospel reading, the disciples are in a boat, and it is definitely nothing like a cruise ship. It is small, and a stormy sea threatens the little boat. Then, they catch sight of Jesus coming toward them, walking on the water. Not recognizing him, they panic and believe they are seeing a ghost. There are two aspects of this scene that deserve special attention. First, when Jesus tries to reassure the disciples by identifying himself, Peter challenges him to prove it by enabling Peter to walk on the water. Jesus agrees, and Peter begins to walk toward him. But then, he notices the high wind and stormy sea, and he begins to sink. As long as he had his eyes on Jesus, he was safe. But once he focused on the enormity of the problem and panicked, he was overcome by the storm. In the end, Jesus reaches out and saves Peter. Second, as soon as Jesus gets into the boat, the wind and sea become calm. And the disciples become calm as well. A few months ago Pope Francis presided over an extraordinary blessing, given to the city of Rome and to the entire world (Urbi et Orbi , in Latin). This ceremony was startlingly unique: St. Peter’s Square was totally empty because of the covid-19 pandemic. For his reflection the Holy Father chose a story about Jesus, the disciples and a boat. He reminded us that we were all in the same boat, on a stormy sea. “Like the disciples in the Gospel we were caught off guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm. We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other. ”One message that we have heard repeatedly during the pandemic is that, even though we may be apart, “we are in this together.” We may not enjoy wearing masks or keeping six feet apart, but we do it not just for ourselves but for the safety of others. We have found new and creative ways of reaching out, staying in touch, making sure others are safe, running errands, doing grocery shopping. Each week members of our church donate or prepare food, get food supplies from the food bank, and serve poor and vulnerable members of our community. We have come to a deeper awareness of what matters and what passes away, and we have adjusted our priorities. We have heard the cries of those who have been the victims of racial and societal injustice, as well as those who struggle immensely because they are poor, have little or no health insurance, and have lost jobs and struggle to survive. When we feel overwhelmed by the crisis that has enveloped us, our gospel gives us the image of the boat, the ancient symbol of the church. We are in this together, now more than ever. And if the storm rages and the waves threaten, we need to remember that Jesus, who can calm the storms, is in the boat with us, day by day, for the long haul. And, above all, we need to reflect on the lesson Peter learned that day on the sea, the lesson of where to focus attention. Peter, as usual, is very brash and impulsive. If I were he, I would not have volunteered to walk on a stormy sea; I would have stayed in the relative safety of the boat. But Peter boldly asks, and Jesus agrees. And Peter does OK until he focuses on the problem and forgets the Lord. But that’s not me, and I don’t think it is most of us. When in a dangerous situation, we don’t jump into an even more dangerous one. I’m going to keep my mask on and stay six feet apart, thank you!But in a difficult situations such as the pandemic we are in, the question is, what is our primary focus? Do we allow ourselves to be overcome with fear, or panic, or anger because our only focus is on the problem? Or do we remember that Jesus is in the boat with us? Remember that, once Jesus got into the boat, and the disciples were aware of it, the storm became calm. And so, when we are getting seasick because of a whirlpool of emotions, perhaps we might meditate on the question Jesus asks in today’s gospel: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
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