Proper 7, Year B
June 25, 2006
Christ Church, Covington
“A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat” (Mk 4:37).
Who hasn’t been out on Lake Pontchartrain or in the Gulf one time when a storm
or heavy weather was threatening? Even my limited nautical experiences extend
that far, and if mine do, then it’s quite possible that yours do too. We can
imagine then the scene in our Gospel today, with an evening storm on the Sea of
Galilee that threatens Jesus and the disciples. The disciples are fearful of
perishing, but Jesus has power to still the storm. The story is told by Mark
because it shows so clearly who Jesus is. It’s a rhetorical question with which
our Gospel concludes: “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey
him?” (Mk 4:41). We’re meant to know the answer, even if the disciples in the
story don’t seem to.
Other questions in the story are less rhetorical. Notice how the story revolves
around a series of questions which are still pretty challenging. First, there is
the question of the disciples, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
(Mk 4:38). Then there is Jesus’ question, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no
faith?” (Mk 4:40). The storm into which Jesus and the disciples have wandered is
no simple storm on the Lake, but the storm of life. It’s the storm that whips
around the Church, even now. Though we may know who Jesus is, we may still
wonder if he’s going to save us. Even if we have seen him at work before, we may
still be challenged in our faith.
Faith, in this context, is confidence in God. Human beings are prone to have
questions, and to have their own schedule and agenda for having them answered.
Who here doesn’t have concerns that need to be met? Who here doesn’t wonder what
God is doing about them? If only God would adopt our schedule, get with “the
program”, answer our questions in the time we have allotted! Does he not care
that we are perishing?
Faith requires confidence, in spite of unanswered questions. My experience is
that God rarely adopts my schedule or agenda in anything that has to do with the
file marked “John Bauerschmidt”. At times, God seems positively uninterested in
my questions and my most pressing concerns. Instead, God seems to want to invite
me, like the disciples on the Lake, to have confidence in him. That’s his
agenda. Even when I’m sure my file has been misplaced, and no case worker
assigned to it, the real question for me seems to be learning God’s agenda and
his schedule, which is never exactly my own.
Faith requires confidence, but it also requires something else. We need to be
able to rely, as our Collect of the Day says, on “the sure foundation” of God’s
“loving-kindness”. “Loving-kindness” means that God’s love is certain and sure.
Our collect reminds us God never fails to help and govern those who are set on
this foundation. Even if you think your file’s been lost in the “Heathen and
Heretic” section, we’re invited by God to understand that we are loved by him,
and that this love is certain and sure. It extends to everybody, sinner and
saint, righteous and self-righteous alike. This is the basis of faith, of all
our confidence.
Storms will come in this life; questions will continue to be asked; confidence
and love will be challenged. Still, God will be God; his love will be sure; no
one and nothing will be misplaced. In the meantime, we’ll be learning the
lessons of faith, of confidence in God.
John Bauerschmidt is Rector of Christ Church, Covington.
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