Adrift at Sea

Gospel: Matthew 14: 22-33

The disciples find themselves at the whims of the sea between the crowd on one side of the shore and Jesus on the other.  The sea is unsettled, the wind is brisk, it is the dark of night, and they are adrift.  At a certain point, coming out of the darkness comes Jesus walking out to them on the sea.  They are frightened, thinking they see a ghost.  Jesus has to reassure them:  do not be frightened, it is I.  Jesus comes to bring peace and reassurance.  

Yet, Peter is not convinced.  If it really is you, bid me come out to you on the sea.  So Jesus invites him to come walk on the water.  Peter approaches and initially has success in walking out to Jesus.  But a gust of wind frightens him and he sinks into the sea, needing Jesus to help rescue him.  How often it is that the slightest distraction and inconvenience we sink into the water.  How often are we adrift at sea between the crowds and Jesus.  

The more we read the Gospels, the more we come to realize that they are not so much about the literal story as much as they are about the constant examination of our spiritual lives.  Whether this story took place or not is not as important as our own status the story seeks for us to discern.  Are we moved by the emotions of the sea as the disciples, unable to decide whether the crowd is more important or being with the Lord on the mountaintop? Is discipleship our priority, or imitating the Lord Jesus?

Inadequacy of Discipleship

Gospel:  Matthew 17: 14-20

A man has a son in the grips of a demon.  He first went to Jesus' disciples to help him, but the disciples were not able to do so.  The man then comes to Jesus, stating that his disciples were not able to cure his son, and he begs Jesus to cure his son.  Jesus, of course, does so, but not without a lament about the lack of faith he continually sees.  Our first reaction to this lament of Jesus is to have pity on this father - how could he be blamed in all this?

But Jesus is not blaming this man.  He is finding fault with the lack of faith in his disciples.  In fact, Jesus rebukes them for their lack of faith in failing to help this boy and his father.  As so many other Gospel stories make evident, discipleship is not the goal of the Christian life, for to be a disciple in the Gospels always leads to inadequacy and failure.  The Gospels time and again remind us that the goal of Christian living is to imitate Jesus, to be illuminated and divinized by him.

The father in this story is a model for us as well.  When we find inadequacy in churchmen - when we find they are unable to help us and in fact are obstacles to us - then we go to Jesus.  We let him know that his disciples were not able to help us, that their faith was inadequate.  We then seek to imitate Jesus, not the disciples, and in imitating Jesus we are freed from our demons, we are illuminated, and we are divinized into his likeness.     

Profits and Losses

Gospel:  Matthew 16: 24-28

What do we gain if we spend our entire lives seeking to amass riches and possessions?  Consider the house and storage sheds of those who hoard possessions.  At some point these items will mean nothing at all.  The possessor of these things will die, leaving to someone else the possessions.  Or consider the wealthy person who has amassed billions of dollars.  Upon death that money has no meaning, and the possessions, the money become a millstone, not a life line.  

Was it really worth it to spend one's life this way? Do the rich and powerful have any satisfaction at all upon their deathbed?  How many people could have benefited from their money and possessions in having just basic necessities that were deprived them by those who hoard treasure to the detriment of others.  The wealthy lose their life, for their life was their possessions and money, all of which are left behind when death comes for them.

But those who have given up such wealth and treasure have lived for the sake of others.  They have provided care and mercy for others.  They have lived a truly free life. not bound by the slavery to possessions and money.  If we find ourselves in the grip of the demons of wealth and possessions, today is a day to let them go that they may be used to help others in their need.  This is the way of Jesus, the way of the cross, the way to resurrection and life.