Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 322

Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”


Devout Christians, confronted with overwhelming, unexpected challenges, in a moment of reflection, sometimes complain, "I thought I had more faith!" 
Perhaps they're thinking, "This crisis is not such a big deal, why am I afraid?" They may be inwardly saying, "Get ahold of yourself!" 
They have often heard preachers exhorting them to "Be bold!" and "Do not fear under challenging circumstances." Perhaps they were inwardly replying to the preacher, "Amen, I am ready. I trust the Lord!" 
And now they realize they are not ready; they never were. 
It seems to me -- and who am I to judge? -- they are really terrified and astonished that they can be shaken so deeply. 

Life has a way of doing that to us. Of confronting us with enormous dangers which we had not imagined could exist. 
Our disciples in today's gospel -- for the most part experienced fishermen -- have never seen such waves on this Sea of Galilee. They're not supposed to be that big! 
Psalm 107 describes a series of challenges: people are lost in the desert, imprisoned in darkness and chains, sick with nausea, and so forth. In each case the people are saved by the Hand of God. Verses 24-31 describes today's gospel story, a storm at sea:

Some went off to sea in ships,
plied their trade on the deep waters.
They saw the works of the LORD,
the wonders of God in the deep.
He commanded and roused a storm wind;
it tossed the waves on high.n
They rose up to the heavens, sank to the depths;
their hearts trembled at the danger.
They reeled, staggered like drunkards;
their skill was of no avail.
In their distress they cried to the LORD,
who brought them out of their peril;
He hushed the storm to silence,
the waves of the sea were stilled.
They rejoiced that the sea grew calm,
that God brought them to the harbor they longed for.
Let them thank the LORD for his mercy,
such wondrous deeds for the children of Adam.

I grew up in a country that intervened in the First World War after the Allied and Axis powers had come to an exhausting stalemate, and ended the war. The same nation fought two separate wars during the Second World War and, after declaring it would accept nothing less than unconditional surrender from both Germany and Japan, conquered both nations. (With some help from allies.) That same nation, still replete with apparently inexhaustible resources, voluntarily helped to rebuild its allies and former enemies, laying financial and political foundations for a long-lasting peace. But it also maintained several military services that were fully prepared to engage in a third world war, if any nation dared to challenge it. 

That's the story I heard growing up. 

It's the story we still tell our children despite the experiences of Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. 

We still believe in our indomitability, despite the corroding incidence of depression, mental illness, drug abuse, and suicide among our people; despite the ever widening gap between rich and poor people with its threat of violence; despite the growing eagerness of some white men for a "race war," and despite the evidence that our planet is dying. 

Few of us are ready to pray, "God save us!" though some are ready to ask, "Do you not care we are perishing?" 

In today's gospel, the disciples didn't quite ask for help. They just blamed the Lord for sleeping while they struggled against the storm. 

I don't suppose the united nations will ever turn to Jesus and ask for help. But we Christians can. We can admit we are powerless , and watch in grateful wonder as the Lord acts.