Thank you Fr. Glen! Rev. Glen Mullan Do Not Fear August 10, 2014 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) (1K 19:11-13; Mt 14:22-33) Like Moses, Elijah was fleeing for his life when he went to Mt. Horeb in the desert, to the Mountain of God. Moses had killed an abusive Egyptian soldier to protect his people, while Elijah had slaughtered the 400 prophets of Baal in an effort to restore the faith of his people. Jesus, too, went out to a deserted place upon learning of the death of John the Baptist, but the crowds followed him and he was not able to go into the mountains to pray until he fed them with loaves and fish. In all these situations, men were seeking God in the midst of upheaval and danger, a tumultuousness that was then mirrored in nature. While Elijah takes refuge in his cave, the mountain is assaulted by wind, earthquake, and fire. Likewise, the disciples in the boat are subject to the forces of wind, waves, and darkness. These events elicit fear and helplessness, and highlight the precariousness of human life, so subject to powerful and random forces which can strike at any time. The natural (and rational) response is to flee to safety; yet the Scriptures highlight how even in the desert these fears must be confronted. Jesus permits his disciples to undergo the trial of mortal fear on the sea in the middle of the night. It is in these experiences that God is sought, and it is in the midst of tumult that peace must be found. There is no other path to spiritual maturity than the one that brings man to confront the fear of his own mortality, and helplessness before the tempestuous forces of nature and the world that can destroy him at any time. In many cultures, “the gods” are identified with these great and powerful forces, and religiosity consists in the efforts to tame or placate these “gods” superstitiously, so that protection and prosperity may be obtained. This is a hallmark of almost all pagan religions, from the sophisticated polytheism of the Greek and Roman cultures, to the primitive spiritualism of tribal religions. “Yet the Lord was not in the wind or the earthquake or the fire.” The true God reveals Himself to the Israelites as being completely distinct from these forces that govern and threaten human life on earth. He is utterly different, above, and beyond them. And yet not removed or indifferent to the plight of man. God’s presence can be found, and His voice can be heard, even in the worst possible situations, often especially in the situations of greatest upheaval. It is a voice of strength, confidence, and power – absolute assurance. However, it is a voice of utmost gentleness and silence, requiring active listening and seeking. The task of spirituality is to find the true God, who is not to be identified with the things that cause fear or the sense of helplessness, but rather the one whose gentle and silent voice can most often be discerned precisely when it can be contrasted with these things. It is the contrast with the great storm, fire, and earthquake that allows Elijah to perceive that alone which man must truly fear and respect: the “tiny whispering sound,” the voice of God before which alone Elijah “hid his face.” It is the wind and the waves and the darkness that allow the disciples to recognize clearly what others could not see in the day: the divinity and glory of Jesus who is God among us. “Ego Eimi” – “It is I” – “I AM,” he says to them, exactly as he spoke to Moses from the Burning Bush centuries before (cf. Jn 6:20). In an instant, Jesus calms the storm, and by the power of his word even commands Peter to walk to him on that very water that threatened to destroy them. We must not fear, we must have faith. Peter tries to have faith, and succeeds for a brief instant: he actually walks on water for a few moments. But then he falters and has to grab the hand of the Lord. Faith requires an initiative on our part, a readiness to trust and obey: “if it is you, command me to come.” Yet we are not humanly capable of true faith, which is a supernatural gift, and ultimately our faith consists in clinging to the Lord who alone is able to sustain and hold us up. Moses goes on to deliver his people safely from the might of Pharaoah, performing great wonders and signs at the Red Sea and in the desert. Elijah goes on to be the greatest prophet taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. And the disciples perform signs and wonders to the ends of the earth as they proclaim the resurrection, especially Peter who as the first pope in Rome, governed the barque of the Church through stormy and demonic persecution that threatened to overwhelm and destroy her. One thing, and one thing alone we must worship with fear. One alone deserves our fear. We must not be afraid or disturbed by anything else. Anything. It is unworthy of God. Let us today remember and hear the words of Jesus, spoken in the midst of all human uncertainties and fear: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Great is the earthquake that takes the ground out from under our feet. Great is the wind that swamps and overwhelms us. Great is the fire that destroys and devastates our lives. But greater and stronger still, and absolutely secure, and worthy of complete trust, is the tiny, silent, hidden, obscure, voice of the true and living God that speaks most imperceptibly: “Do not fear, I AM.”
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:21:44 +0000
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