Matthew 14:22-33

Proper 14 (19) - Year A

 


In the midst of each and every storm, before we experience a moment of peace in the midst of fear, know that prayer is going on.

Do you sense the echo of Jesus' prayer preparing you to dare step out of "Business As Usual"? Yes, this means that you are free to name the boat the disciples were in. What is the name of the frail boat you are in that you have named with a big name? Is your boat named "Possession Is Nine-tenths of the Law," "I Got Mine, You Get Yours," "Might Makes Right," "Church," "Me Myself and I," or "________."

Whatever,
go ahead,
don't step in it,
step out of it.

Be baptized in the sea of possibilities beyond surety. When you are splutteringly pulled up you will know the differences of assurance. The assurance that if you just stay in the boat and follow the rules you'll be ok is shown to be false (that just leads to longingly looking back at captivity in Egypt and faint-heartedness in the moment). The assurance that if you follow the call of the mysterious I AM/WAS/WILL-BE prayer "all will be well" is shown to be true (that leads to looking ahead to healing for all).

May your prayers be prelude to your inviting people beyond their box (even a seemingly good box) to stride the wild waters of real life (none of that water park sham). This is a wonderful way to pass on the gift of prayer you have received and leads you out of your boxy boat to life abundant.

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2002/august2002.html


Courage. We are not all water-walkers, at least mostly we are not. There are moments when it does happen.

We are all encouragers of one thing or another. All you Barnabas and Barnabette types take note, there is a world full of recruits available to the "Take Heart" ministries so needed in a fearful culture.

We can reach out to all those going down after getting into the storms following what were considered reasonable decisions. While we can acknowledge the doubts that come along we are also freed to remind folks that, given their experiences, they have come a remarkably long way along faith's journey.

After Jesus and Peter enter the boat, there is no reason not to encourage them to try it again now that the waters have calmed.

The good news here is not simply that Jesus is recognized as a "Son of God" but that courage has been evidenced, heart has been taken, learning has gone one, we need not give up after one failure.

I keep awaiting the finding of a new old textual remnant that has it going this way:

Jesus: You of little faith, why did you doubt?

Peter: You're right. Let's try this again.

Jesus: OK. Let's go back to the mountain and pray, then we'll give it another try. Although you do need to understand that walking on the water is no proof of anything other than an ability to be one with the water, to be one with the storms of life. It doesn't confer wisdom or authority that wasn't already present. Along with enough bucks it will get you a gourmet coffee.

Peter: Oh, praying undergirds this. Let me make a note.

Jesus: Make all the notes you want. Without the prayer they aren't worth the paper they are written on. Let me repeat, "You of little faith . . . ."

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/august2005.html


If you are into movies as a metaphorical way of investigating scripture, you may want to check out the recent Walk on Water.

A line from their trailer goes, "In a world of conflict, can a new generation forgive the sins of the past?" Is not forgiveness a sign of an ability to walk on water over the chaos of the deep past?

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/august2005.html


You of little faith. Why did you doubt?

What's that next line that shows up in chapter 27? Oh yes, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

This doubt business goes to the heart of things. Adam and Eve did it, Cain did it, Mary did it, even God did it. Why it is almost part of love, part of maturing, part of new life. It may be behind Jesus' second resurrectional visit to the disciples, specifically to acknowledge the doubting process and to offer more than propositional faith. Practice and experience are crucial steps to move through doubt that a simple berating for not having made it to some particular level of testing at the right grade will never overcome. When it comes to faith we leave all manner of GOD's children behind because we don't pay attention to categorizing and practicing the experiences that lead to faith. Christians have much to learn from the Buddhists in this regard. Contemporary American United Methodists have much to learn from their own early traditions that have been left unattended for generations.

Finally we are all in the same boat. Recognizing we are all in the same boat we can stop being blowhards about faith (no wonder the wind stopped). If you can't handle everyone being a sinner, can you affirm that we are all doubters?

This may not be so much about Jesus the water-walker as it is the humanity of all of us. Sort of a strange way to find comfort in the midst of whatever storm is brewing or blowing around me. How is it with you?

This ability to doubt and continue is bedrock material for progressive prophets. How else see through the blowhards [whether you are the latest in line like David Seamands or Robert Novak or the next in line like _____(your name here)_____] of our time?

Perhaps remembering that we are all in the same boat will keep us all a bit more humble and realistic and willing to learn through the doubting process.

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/august2005.html


A promise: I will send you to those who hate you, who cannot speak peaceably to you.

So Joseph responds to his call as a prophet, "Here am I" and goes to his "brothers." So Elijah hears as a prophet hears, in great silence, and returns to those seeking his life. So the disciples enter the chaos of the deep, of wind and wave. So the faithful strive not for heavenly stairs or power to change the past, only a word and heart for this day's need.

This promise is repeated continually. Some hear and are renewed. Some almost hear and fear. Some do not yet hear, but are called, nonetheless.

Sometimes we hear and jump into the waves. Sometimes we forget in the presence of pressing need and regret our jump. Nonetheless, a repeated call is available to hear when we can clear our mind.

- - -

sent ahead
we know our own
times of famine
made worse by tired feet
starved of peaceable speech
as well as of daily bread
our insides and outsides
stumble on

sent ahead
without a clue
we take
what we know
and join it
with what others know
silently singing
steadfast love to action

sent ahead
into unfamiliar chaos
we battle wind and save
until we can step aside
from our fears
until our words
turn to healing
for the nations

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html


Unlike last week, Jesus can get away to pray. Dismissing an outer crowd hungry for healing miracles and an inner crowd hungry for modeling, Jesus is alone and in this aloneness chooses, according to the party line, to pray.

Whatever else Jesus' prayer was, it wasn't keeping the disciples free from chaos and danger. Have you had a fantasy of Jesus at prayer and all being right with the world? Isn't that a major part of an ascended Jesus? Well, that may not be a very deeply grounded perspective.

Either when Jesus' prayer was ended or was brought to completion, he faced into the same wind the disciples were wrestling with. Imagine the social and individual story weather patterns available. This is an opportunity to turn this scene into a variation on a Rorschach Test to see the demons in our life.

With dawn still faint behind them in the east and a ghost becoming less faint from that same east; with John murdered and Jesus away, their teeniest fears became vivid.

On a dark and stormy night we don't need assistance arriving at a slow and steady pace. Note, then, the two references to "immediately". Jesus was quick to speak out a word of clarification and hope and to reach out a hand of help.

In the midst of our own stormy times a good way to model discipleship is that of a quick word and quick hand.

How is your quickness in the presence of evil –
     - homophobia
     - immigration xenophobia
     - educational rigidity
     - health care politics
     - violence and abuse
     - war
     - STDs
     - and your addition to this short list?

Our worship is practicing being Jesus prayerful and Jesus quick. According to John Wesley's sermon on Zeal (#92) if you have to make a choice, choose quick.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html

 


 

With everyone fed it was time to get back to the agenda of Jesus dealing with John's execution. Thousands were send home healed and fed. The disciples were put in a boat and sent to the other side.

Whew. Prayer time. And it was evening, preparation for days to come. And it was night with the chaos of sea churning again. And it was morning with waves still riding high and Jesus somehow present among them.

What was the result of evening prayer and midnight storm and a morning walk? It was to hear great desire, to encourage the same, and to keep it alive when trembling.

I wish to walk beyond my current limits. Invite me forward.

Simply put, "OK. Come on."

What more need be said? Nothing. Those words are still echoing, waiting for your response. 

Yes, the wind will still be blowing. Unexpected currents are to be expected. Second thoughts will likely arise. A steadying hand is still needed.

After this foray into desiring forward, a harbor with reduced wind is helpful for consolidating what was learned.

Was not leaving Jesus alone a time of worship? When asked what you have done for Jesus today, don't forget to say, "I stayed out of his way!"

Was not sailing toward another mission a time of worship? Don't forget to call travel time as important as encounter time.

Was not experimenting with desire a time of worship? Imagine how much more worship is available that what we have come to call "worship".

Was not acknowledging fear an important part of "growth" (another word for worship). 

So what is this sense of "worship" so limited to "Son of G*D" language and a sense of miracle, when everything is miraculous.

May your prayer lead you to better listening, encouraging, strengthening.
May your worship rejoice in everyday growth.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2011/07/pentecost-8-year-matthew-1422-33-with.html

 

 

Earlier the Disciples had wanted to dismiss the crowd before feeding them. Here Jesus finally dismisses the crowd after they were fed.

This same dynamic is too often present today. Faithful disciples who have settled into their pattern of privilege, no matter how marginalized they may feel, set up conscious and unconscious pre-dismissal criteria. It is as if they really do expect folks to self-deport from their experience.

Just as they had earlier projected their limitations upon the crowd, they project on to the storm all their fear and tremblings, multiplying them to mis-see what was before their very eyes. Again, so many disciples are not able to agree on the effect of storms upon others, only themselves. It is so easy to fall into a persecuted mentality.

It appears the only way through our projections is to actually go through them to be able to look back and see them for what they were, barriers to growth. And so the limits placed upon community and communal miracles need to be experienced before they can enter into a new understanding. The limits placed by our emotions need to be acknowledged before we can step forward to ask questions and test them as accurate.

Two keys:

Blessings to you as you practice first saying, “Welcome” and biting your dismissive tongue. Blessings to you as you practice responding to and invitation to grow, no matter how slightly.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2014/08/matthew-1422-33.html