My friends, today’s readings, taken together are a beautiful treatise on faith. Faith, as we understand is “believing in something that we can’t really explain.” In good times, “believing in something that we have no proof of is easier than when times are hard, I think we could all agree.
Let’s look at today’s readings: The 1st reading from 1st Kings shows us the prophet Elijah looking for God “on a mountain.” This was understandable as people believed that “on a mountain,” up high, was where they would find God.
Even our brother Jesus, in today’s gospel goes up a mountain to pray, although his intent was probably more so, to find some peace and quiet. The prophet Elijah, once he has the right location, is told that he should wait there, “as God would be passing by.”
As Elijah “awaits God,” he experiences three manifestations of nature; a mighty wind, an earthquake, and a fire, and he is somewhat surprised that God whom he most likely considered, “all powerful and mighty,” didn’t appear in any of these “mighty manifestations! Elijah, we can assume, learned something of his “mighty” God that day when, not in power, but in peace, “a gentle whisper” God appeared.
This reading seems to end in a strange place, as Elijah is asked by God, “why he is here?” and no explanation is given. But reading further on from today’s selection, we discover that Elijah has come, asking God’s help in dealing with his seemingly “faithless” people.
Now, we can only imagine that the life of a prophet is no easy task. God’s request, I would suggest, is about more than Elijah’s most current problem in his role as prophet…in a bigger way, God is asking – are you here because you believe in me, or not?”
Paul, in his letter to the Romans today seems to confirm what God is reminding Elijah of in the 1st reading… Paul says, speaking of how God has been there for his people, “I have adopted you, made you my own, made a covenant with you, that I will be your God if you would be my people, and from you, came the Messiah” … this recitation of goodness toward a people, which should be testament to how they are loved by their God reminds me of a beautiful song-hymn really, from the musical, Fiddler on the Roof.
This hymn – “Do You Love Me?” is sung by Tevya to his wife Golde, wherein he wants to know, truly, if she loves him? Golde, the woman of the house has no time for such “fanciful” ideas, and to Tevya’s insistence that she answer the question – as he wants to hear her say the words, after 25 years, and Golde, in exasperation finally says, “I’ve cooked your meals, shared your bed, given you children, lived with you, fought with you, if that’s not love, I don’t know what is?!” Tevya, in great jubilation proclaims, “Then you do love me!” Golde responds, “I guess I do!” And it ends with, “It doesn’t change a thing, but after 25 years, it’s nice to know!”
My friends, we have such a God, who loves us “just the way we are,” as Mister Rogers always assured his young TV viewers that he did too. Our God, I would suggest, loves us in a similar way, wanting good for us, and not bad.
Today’s gospel from Matthew has Jesus expressing some of the consternation of God to Elijah, and Tevya to Golde when after walking on the water, once again coming to the apostles’ aid, and additionally inviting Peter to join him, and begin to believe in all the power there is in believing in Someone/Something beyond his reach, beyond his understanding, and Peter lets fear get in the way … Jesus, who had to truly love Peter and the others, simply says, “You have so little faith.”
In support of Peter though, I would say that he is to be commended because he took the first step “in getting out of the boat.” Much better that he took that first step instead of doing nothing!
These readings my friends, today, challenge us in a big way to, “get out of our own personal boats, chairs, our set-in ways and become all that we were meant to be.
We talk a lot here from week to week about being, “bread for the world.” Simply put, this task is about taking all that we know of our brother, Jesus – his words, his actions –which profoundly make up “his body, his blood,” and share it with our world – our city – our families.
Angelo Roncalli, known to us and the world as, “Good Pope John,” acted on his faith, listened to the Spirit of God, got out of “his boat,” and called the Church Universal to a wonderful Council wherein “doors were opened, fresh air was let in” and we were all called to listen to each other, see each other, perhaps for the first time, hear all the stories in order that we could become a Church, once again, based on love, serving, not controlling, and becoming – hopefully, our best selves.
That call continues today, my friends, to listen, to care, to love, to do – whatever we can … to continue to believe, even when it is hard, that our God is with us – to stand up for others, to get out of our boats, and sometimes, “walk on the water” too! Amen? Amen!
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