August 10, 2014: May God’s words alone be spoken, may God’s words alone be heard. Amen.
Oh, I sooooo wanted to preach today on the Hebrew lesson. I mean, the story of Joseph is, like the stories of Jacob, Hagar, Abraham and others, filled with all sorts of family drama, ironic twists, and prophetic witness. But, despite the great story of scheming brothers, colorful coats, wild dreams, and redemption…there is a boat story that I want most to talk about today. Like the feeding of the multitudes we heard last week, this is one of the more well known miracles of Jesus. My favorite twist of this story is in Jesus Christ: Superstar, when Herod sings: “So, you are the Christ, you’re the great Jesus Christ. Prove to me that you’re no fool – walk across my swimming pool. If you do that for me, then I’ll let you go free. Come on, King of the Jews.” I bet you’all can’t wait for the return of the choir now, right?
Today’s gospel starts right where we left off last week – no missing scripture verses to fill in here. Jesus has just fed the 5,000, and he makes his disciples depart in a boat while he handles the crowds. After dismissing both disciples and crowd, he decides to go up the mountain to pray. Now, this is significant to the author of Matthew’s intended audience, first century Jews, because, as we have seen many times in the scriptures – it is on the mountaintop that one is most close to God.
The disciples however are at sea level – literally at sea level, as in…in the sea. The narrative tells us that they have been there for most of the night, when they see something or someone walking toward them on the water. It says that they were terrified, but the Greek is more like they were “stirred up.” Sort of the biblical inverse of a James Bond martini – stirred, not shaken. They think they are seeing a ghost. Jesus let’s them know it is he, and Peter…God bless Peter – anyway, he decides to try this neat trick himself, begins to sink, and calls out for Jesus to save him. They get back into the ship, and “it’s at this moment that the disciples see Jesus as if for the first time, confessing, “Truly you are the Son of God.” That’s “interesting, when you think about it. I mean, Jesus had just fed thousands upon thousands of helpless and vulnerable people, revealing both divine power and divine compassion. And yet it’s here, at this moment, when the disciples perceive most clearly who Jesus is.
Now whenever I hear this gospel, I am reminded about an old story about three guys – all clergy – a Catholic, an Episcopalian, and a Rabbi. One day, the Episcopalian priest and the Rabbi, who had been old fishing buddies invite the local Catholic priest to go fishing with them in a nearby lake. The Episcopalian has to use the bathroom, so he walks across the water, does his business and walks back. Then the rabbi has to go, so he walks across the water, does his business and walks back. The Catholic has to go, but when he gets out he falls into the water. He swims back, gets back into the boat, and says, “God, let me walk across the water.” He tries again and falls into the water, swims back, tries again and falls again. The Episcopalian leans over to the Rabbi and asks, “Do you think we should tell him where the stepping stones are?”
But seriously, it is miracles like the one we heard last week, and the one today, that can sometimes be the dividing line between some people of faith – a sort of litmus test, as though believing in miracles is either a sign of faith or a sign of naiveté. Well, I don’t think it is either, but I do believe in miracles (and no, I do NOT intend to break out into a song by Hot Chocolate (or any of the other versions). While I read the bible critically, leveraging the work of scholars before me, I wonder sometimes why miracles have become so difficult for us to imagine possible.
Albert Einstein once wrote, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” “Its interesting that the father of Quantum Physics, the big kahoonah of modern science would offer an answer to one of the most challenging theological questions. Where do we see the miracle of Jesus, or the presence of God in our day to day lives? Is it nowhere or is it everywhere?”1
Well, I can tell you that I see miracles (or hear about them) nearly every day, and I also see where we could use a few more.
Think about it…just the idea that a baby can be created inside of a human being, or that someone who was once so addicted he could be called the walking dead is now able to claim long term sobriety, or that life can go on even after facing the death of a loved one…or even something as seemingly mundane as the fact that the other day, while walking the sidewalk outside the church, there was, and I kid you not, a spot of grass growing out of the middle of one of the bluestone pavers – I mean, right out of the middle, leaving a whole when it was pulled up. How the heck does that happen?
On the other hand…
Escalation in Iraq, with people being slaughtered and starved, the ancient war in the middle East brewing again, children in pens in detention centers in the southwestern US, and the horrific damage to our environment…In the miracle department, the world could sure use a few on a cosmic scale now God. “And in our personal lives there are so many things that could use a miracle or two… illness, financial pressures, relationships that challenge our ability to love and sometimes forgive…These are the things that we pray to God asking, “Please just fix this!” And sometimes the miraculous happens and all is made well, and sometimes it doesn’t. What are we to do with that!”2
To be sure, those living in time of Jesus had their own concerns, and they had no shortage of miracle workers and sorcerers, miracles were sort of a dime a dozen in those days – maybe because they weren’t as cynical as we are today. But, whatever the reason, some of what Jesus was doing was not all that surprising to them. What is different about this story is what is also most important. In our time, we tend to focus on the dramatic nature of what we think is the miracle – Jesus walking on the water. But that isn’t the miracle…well, it is amazing, but it isn’t the point.
But if that isn’t the point…what is?
Remember how odd it seemed to be, as I mentioned before, that Jesus feeds 5,000 people with a few fish and loaves, but it is here that they claim him to be the Son of God? In today’s gospel, when they see what they think is a ghost, and begin to be afraid, Jesus calls to them, “Take heart, it is I; have no fear.” “Jesus reveals himself — not simply as Jesus, their teacher, but as “I AM.” A more literal translation of [the Greek] would be, “Take heart, I am, do not be afraid.” This self-revelation is a disclosure of Jesus’ source of power. For Matthew’s Jewish audience, Jesus’ words echo the divine name.” It is what is called a theophany – a revealing of God – and THAT, THAT is the miracle that prompts the declaration from the disciples.
But as incredible as that was, there is still another important miracle not to get lost in the waves. It is the miracle of Jesus stepping away from his prayer time and going out to meet them on the sea. Jesus met them out there in the midst of darkness that was around them, and a sea that was causing some concern, even for these experienced people of the sea. God was there when they needed God most. And just as important, was Peter stepping out onto the water, but here is where we get a little sidetracked, as did Peter. Maybe we, like Peter, forget that it isn’t about miraculous walks with Jesus, but the every day walks that are important.
“To walk on water for even a few seconds, as Peter did, seems like a spectacular feat to be sure, but this is a story about faith. [And by faith, I don’t mean that one has to walk across swimming pools.] See, sometimes we just have to move beyond the metaphor or the miraculous to get at the deeper meaning.”
A dear friend and fellow priest, who preached here at the installation, the Rev. Melissa Hall, once said, “Seeing is definitely not an assurance of believing, but recognizing God’s holy presence in the deepest part of us I think is critical to understanding all miracles.” And she is right.
St. Paul, in his message that we heard today in the epistle, writing that salvation is for all, says, “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart.” In that short sentence, St. Paul is saying quite a lot about who we are…about the very miracle of being – the miracle Jesus hoped to reveal to his disciples – the miracle that Peter, if only for a moment, seemed to get. You know, I suspect that Jesus, seeing Peter believe enough in himself and his faith to get out of the boat, was secretly pleased, perhaps surprised, and likely amused. I can just see Jesus standing there watching Peter, hiding his smile a bit, and stifling a little chuckle watching Peter – sort of the way a parent does watching a toddler try to stand up only to wobble a bit and go plop, right back on the carpet.
The miracle is that Christ is always there, standing there in the chaos and in the peace, our smooth sailing and our rough seas, hoping that we see in ourselves what he sees in us. Hoping that we come to know that we are in him, and he in us – that we are the body of Christ then, now, and always. Peter had the right idea, but it was misplaced. God did not dwell among us so we could do neat tricks…but so that we could know the truth about ourselves, the truth that Jesus was revealing to them that day, the truth that we are made in God’s image, and that “God’s holy presence resides in the deepest part of us.” I think Jesus was really saying to Peter, “why did you doubt who you are?”
Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen Buddhist monk, peace activist, and author of many books, including Living Buddha, Living Christ once said, “The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.” I love that quote, because the miracle is about having that type of faith. The faith that is about walking with God on our lips and in our heart here in the everyday, the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows. Faith is about knowing that who we are is enough, but even more, that who we are is divinely created, that God dwells in us and we in God. Maybe it is enough to just look for the stepping stones God gives us to get through rough seas of life, trusting in ourselves and in God, rather than try to walk on water.
I leave you with a quote of Teresa of Avila, given to me at my installation as your Rector by our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Mark Beckwith, which hangs above the prie-dieu in my vesting room, where I pray before worship. It reads:
“May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.”
My friends…that is the miracle – with no swimsuit needed.
May we all embrace it and live into it.
Amen.
Note: The sermon as written may not be as delivered on any given Sunday.
The Rev. Diana Wilcox
Christ Church in Bloomfield & Glen Ridge
August 10, 2014
Pent 9, Proper 14 – Year A – Track 1
1st Reading – Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Psalm 105, 1-6, 16-22, 45b
2nd Reading – Romans 10:5-15
Gospel – Matthew 14:22-33
