The Unauthorized Homily

By Bill Dunn

A commentary on the Gospel reading from the Sunday Lectionary

(Scripture readings for Sunday, June 25th: Job 38:1, 8-11; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17; Mark 4:35-41)

FAITH AND FEAR ON THE HIGH SEAS

I’m an excellent “Monday morning quarterback.” I can second-guess people all day long. I suspect it’s a skill developed from being a sports fan all my life. As I sit back in my comfortable reclining chair with the TV remote in my lap, I’ll shake my head and exclaim, “Oh Shilling! How could you throw a hanging splitter with the bases loaded? If you had only thrown a fastball on the inside corner, we would’ve won this game!” (The implication, of course, is that if I were pitching, I would know exactly which pitch to throw, execute it perfectly, and win the game for the Red Sox. Never mind the fact that I have such a chicken wing for an arm I doubt I even could reach home plate.)

Oftentimes I apply this same talent for criticism toward the Twelve Apostles. As I sit back in my comfortable reclining chair with my Bible in my lap, I’ll shake my head and exclaim, “Oh Peter! How could you deny Jesus three times? If you had only stood firm that night, you would’ve gone down in history as the Apostle of Courage!” (The implication, of course, is that if I had been in Peter’s place that night, despite dozens of armed Roman soldiers, I would have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Jesus during His time of need. Never mind the fact that I’m such a chicken that the last time I got pulled over for speeding, as soon as the cop walked up to my car window I broke out in a cold sweat and started hyperventilating.)

There is one event in the gospels, however, where I am not at all tempted to be a “Monday morning quarterback.” Unlike all the other episodes where I easily criticize and second-guess the disciples, deluding myself into thinking that I would have acted wisely and courageously if only I had been there, the event described in this week’s gospel reading is different. When that sudden storm came up and threatened to sink the disciples’ boat, they were perfectly justified in my view to squeal like a bunch of frightened school girls. I know that’s what I would have done.

After Jesus awakened and then calmed the raging storm, He asked the disciples, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

Um, not to be disrespectful, Jesus, but, uh, on this one I have to side with the apostles. No matter how much faith a guy has, when his boat is about to go under in the middle of a powerful squall, I think being terrified is a very appropriate reaction.

I admit it, I’m not a big “boat guy.” Even though I grew up along the shoreline and have been out in boats countless times, whenever the water gets even mildly choppy, and especially when I can not longer see the shoreline, it is a very uncomfortable feeling. As soon as the shoreline dips below the horizon and there is nothing visible except water in every direction, suddenly a 40-foot charter fishing boat seems like a 4-foot bathtub. I can only imagine what it must be like to have a sudden storm come up and start crashing waves over the boat and filling it with water.

The point Jesus made to His disciples is quite valid: faith drives out fear. Whenever I find myself anxious and frightened (not counting boat-related situations), it’s usually a time when my faith life is weak. If my trust and hope in the Lord is shaky, many of the everyday occurrences of life can make me nervous and worried.

But when my relationship with the Lord is strong—when I KNOW that He loves me and has a wonderful plan for my life and promised that He will never leave me nor forsake me—then even the more frightening situations of life don’t really bother me. When financial difficulties or serious health issues arise, as they have at times in the past, as long as my faith is strong, I can honestly face these problems with a fair amount of serenity and peace.

The other point Jesus made to His disciples was demonstrated by His actions. Jesus is, as it says in Romans 10:12, the “Lord of all.” And that includes the Lord of nature, too. When the disciples asked each other, “Who then is this whom even the wind and sea obey?” the answer is clear: He is the Word made flesh, the One through whom the entire Universe was created. Since this is the case, Jesus certainly has the power to control a small storm on a small sea.

So this week’s gospel reading reminds us of who exactly Jesus is. And this week’s gospel reminds us that when our faith is strong—when we KNOW that God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives and will never leave us nor forsake us—then there is nothing on earth that can make us fearful. Notice I said on EARTH. Out on the sea, well, as far as I’m concerned, that’s a whole different ballgame.

Now I will direct my keen “Monday morning quarterback” skills toward myself: You know, I really should have been born in Kansas.

©2006