2nd Week of Easter (S)
Fr. Philip Neri Powell, OP
St. Dominic Church, NOLA
Fr. Philip Neri Powell, OP
St. Dominic Church, NOLA
In traditional iconography, St. Catherine of Siena is often portrayed
carrying a ship on her shoulder. That ship is the Church. It reminds us
of Noah's Ark, those who were saved from the flood. Most of us here this
morning are sitting in the nave of the church. “Nave” derives from the
Latin word, navis, which also gives us our word “navy.” So, the symbolic
connections btw a ship on the sea and the church in the world are easy
to draw. The disciples get into a boat and head out over the sea to
Capernaum. A storm is brewing, the wind is kicking up, and the disciples
are worried about capsizing. In response to this imminent danger, the
disciples nominate a Task Force to address the crisis. The Task Force
appoints a commission to study the problem. The commission selects a
committee to hold hearings, and the cmte recommends that a working group
issue a report. Eventually, the disciples vote on a draft of the report
and release the document under the title, In navi durante tempestas,
“On a Boat during a Storm.” Unfortunately, all the disciples are tossed
overboard and drowned. In another version of this story, Jesus appears
to his frightened disciples and says, “I Am. Do not be afraid” and the
boat arrives safely on the shore.
My irreverent version of John's gospel story is meant to be a little
cheeky and a little telling. When the Church confronts a contemporary
crisis, whether its a crisis in the Church or with the world, how do we
normally proceed? There's really no way to answer that question fully,
of course, b/c each crisis presents its unique problems, thus requiring
unique solutions. Maybe a better question would be: from what resources
do we draw when a crisis confronts us? Even better: to whom do we turn
when a strong wind blows up a storm? We humans are designed and built to
solve problems, and we manage quite well considering our fallen nature.
But the same instinct to solve problems often leads us to cause
problems as well. When we flounder around trying to solve spiritual
problems with secular tools, we invariably arrive at secular solutions
that worsen the original spiritual problem. Jesus' last- minute
appearance to the near-drowned disciples shows us the best way to deal
with every crisis we encounter: look for the Lord and expect to hear him
say, “I Am. Do not be afraid.” In other words, we are reminded again
that we, the boat, the sea, the storm, all belong to God. Fear in a
crisis is not only futile, it can be deadly—spiritually deadening.
Fear has its natural uses. Being afraid for our lives discourages us
from doing all sorts of dangerous things. Leaping out of planes.
Swimming in Lake Ponchatrain. Driving in New Orleans. Fear even has its
supernatural uses. It makes us wary of sin. Using occult means for
achieving our goals. But fear can also prevent us from doing the holy
work we've been given to do. It can discourage us from risking our time,
talent, and treasure in the pursuit of holiness. We are not baptized to
seek spiritual safety, to cuddle close with our devotions and watch the
world burn. We are baptized to go out and proclaim—in word and deed—the
freely given mercy of God. We are baptized to go out and preach and
teach and heal and forgive and be forgiven. BXVI, introducing the Year
of Faith, teaches us that we must propose again to the world an
encounter the Risen Lord. How? He writes, “. . .we need to renew our
preaching with lively faith, firm conviction, and joyful witness.”
Filled with faith, conviction, and joy, there is no room in any of us
for fear. Leave no room for fear. And if fear should blow your way,
stop, look for the Lord, and expect to hear him say to you, “I Am. Do
not be afraid.”
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