Life Is a Storm

August 10, 2008, 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time
I Kings 19:9, 11-13 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:22-13-33

To the churched and unchurched[1]
gathered in a temple not built by human hands[2]

First reading

At the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter. Then the LORD said to him, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.” A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire—but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

The word of the Lord
Thanks be to God

Alleluia, alleluia.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
Glory to you, Lord.

After he had fed the people, Jesus told the disciples to get into a boat and precede Him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. He then dismissed the crowds and went up into the hills to be alone and pray. When evening fell and the boat was some miles from shore, it began to be tossed about by the winds and waves. During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came toward them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the water they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Do not be afraid! It is me!” Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened. Beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat were awestruck and cried out, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Introduction
Jesus never too busy to pray

When Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been beheaded, He was sad and went off into the hills where He could be alone and pray. (Mt 14:13) But the crowds came running after Him and disturbed his solitude and prayer. They begged Him to heal their sick, and at sunset He had five thousand hungry people to deal with. After such an exhausting day, He dismissed the crowds and told the disciples to get into a boat and precede Him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. After sending them off, Jesus went again off into the hills to be alone and pray. (Mt. 14:23) Jesus wasn’t afraid to be alone, and He was never too busy to pray.

Peter walking on water

But as night fell and the disciples were rowing to the other side of the lake, strong winds began to blow against them, and swelling waters were tossing them up and down. From his hillside retreat Jesus could see the disciples were in trouble, and He rushed out upon the waters to come to their aid.

There are two versions of what happened then. In Matthew’s gospel, as Jesus walked out upon the waters toward the sea-tossed disciples, Peter got out of the boat and started to walk toward Jesus. In Mark and John’s gospel only Jesus is walking on the water, and no mention at all is made about Peter and his water-walking episode. (Mk 6:45-52 & Jn 6:16-21)

As Jesus was walking on the water, the sea-tossed disciples were frightened and thought it was a ghost. Jesus assured them that it really was He, and they shouldn’t be afraid. But Peter cried out, “If it is you, Lord, command that I come to you.” Jesus commanded, and Peter started to come. He stuck one foot out over the side of the boat and set it on the water. It didn’t sink! He stuck another foot out, and it too didn’t sink. Peter was standing on the water! He took one step, and then another, and then another. Lo and behold! Peter like Jesus was walking on water!

Peter sinking

But Peter’s water-walking episode didn’t last long. Matthew writes, “Peter saw how strong the wind was blowing, and he became frightened.” (Mt 14:30) When Peter took his eye off Jesus and looked around, everything suddenly changed. The boat he had just stepped out of seemed so far out of safe reach, and black churning waves were swelling all around him. Suddenly the waters under his feet gave way, and Peter started to sink. Imagine! Peter (the “Rock” -- the first pope) began to sink in the water! He took his eye off the Lord and saw only the raging waters and heard only the raging winds and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he cried, as he was splashing wildly in the cold water. Before the water could swallow him, Jesus reached down with his strong carpenter arms to grab him, and to the first pope He said, “Oh you of little faith, why do you doubt?”

Calm after the storm

Jesus towed Peter back to the boat, and both got in. Then the winds died away and the waters turned smooth as glass. One minute the winds and the waves were roaring, and the boat was sinking; the next minute Jesus was aboard ship, and a wonderful calm settled upon everything. At that moment some of the disciples remembered the psalm they learned in Hebrew school.

Some sailed over the ocean in ships,
earning their living on the seas.
They saw what the Lord can do;
They saw his wonderful deeds upon the seas.
He commanded, and a mighty wind began to blow
and stir up the waves.
The ships were lifted high in the air
And plunged down into the depths.
In such danger the men lost their courage.
Then in their trouble they called to the Lord,
And He saved them from their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper
And hushed the waves of the sea.
They were elated because of the calm,
and He brought them safely to shore.
(Psalm 106 (107), vs 23-30)

The awestruck disciples exclaimed, “Truly you are the Son of God!” (Mt 14:28-33)

Mark’s version of the storm

St. Mark’s version of the event is somewhat different. He says that when Jesus from his hillside retreat saw that the disciples were in distress he rushed out upon the waters “and was going to pass them by.” (Mk 6:48) By simply walking by the frightened disciples Jesus intended to assure them that He was close at hand. As it happened, Jesus did not pass the disciples by but stopped when He heard them cry out, “It is a ghost.” Jesus reassured them that it was He and got into the boat. Then the winds and the waves stopped roaring, and a wonderful calm settled upon everything. (Mk 6:48-51)

Another storm story

A similar event about stormy winds and waves happened sometime before. Jesus and his disciples were on the Sea of Galilee, and Jesus was in the back of the boat sleeping. Suddenly a fierce storm arose. The fear-filled disciples woke Jesus and pleaded, “Save us, Lord! We’re going to drown!” Jesus scolded the disciples as He later would scold Peter, “Oh you of little faith, why do you doubt?” Then He commanded the winds and the waves to calm down, and a wonderful calm settled upon everything. The awestruck disciples exclaimed, “What kind of a man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him” (Mt 8:23-27)

The stories of storms set to music

As we listen to both gospel stories about roaring winds and waves we hear Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony (the Pastoral) in the background. In the first movement, one hears the carefree melody of a flutist, the soothing ripple of a babbling brook and the curious calls of cuckoo, quail and nightingale. All nature is in symphony -- in harmony. In the second movement, that wonderful harmony is suddenly disturbed by strident notes; a thunderous summer storm breaks out with instruments banging and booming. One sees lightening and hears thundering. In the third movement, the storm subsides and a wonderful calm settles again upon everything. Beethoven’s Pastoral sets to music the gospel stories about the Lord’s presence that calms the stormy winds and waves that buffet the human condition.

Working a miracle or calming a storm?

The way we title an event shapes the way we see it. Some title Jesus’ feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes as “The Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes.” They see it basically as divine power working a miracle. Others title the event as “The Division of the Loaves and Fishes.” They see it basically as human compassion sharing bread with the hungry. I prefer to see that event as human compassion sharing bread. That puts a burden not on God to work a miracle but on me to share.

Some title today’s event as “Jesus Walking on Water.” They see it basically as God working a marvelous miracle to prove that He is God! (The God who needs to prove that He is God is, indeed, a needful God!) Others title the event as “Jesus Calming the Storm.” They see it basically as God calming the storms of those who call upon Him in their great distress. (The God who comes to the aid of those who cry for help in their distress is, indeed, a compassionate God.) I prefer to see this event as Jesus compassionately calming the storms in our lives rather than as Jesus walking miraculously on water to prove something.

Conclusion
Life is a storm

At the end of the day, life is a storm from beginning to end. (That is not so much the lament of a pessimist as it is the wisdom of one who has gone the gamut of life.) At the end of the day, we are born in our mother’s pain, and we die in our own. Life is a storm, and blessed are we, if we keep our eyes on Jesus/God as much as we keep our eyes on the storm. Life is a storm, and blessed are we if we put as much trust in the strong arms of the carpenter Jesus/God as we put in other arms less strong. Life is a storm, and blessed are we who believe that Jesus/God, though asleep, is in our boat. Life is a storm, and in the midst of the storm we are both believers and unbelievers. Like the father whose son Jesus freed from an evil spirit (which the disciples couldn’t cast out) we cry, “I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief.” (Mk 9:24)

[1]] By the “the unchurched” is especially meant not those who have left the church but those whom the church has left!

[2] Acts of the Apostles 17:24