Refuge from storms

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today resonate with that sense that something in our society may be sufficiently disordered that we have anxiety about the consequences of rectifying the chaos.

Fear in the storms

The reading from Genesis describes the rescue of Lot’s family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

* [19:25] Overthrew: this term, lit., “turned upside down,” is used consistently to describe the destruction of the cities of the Plain. The imagery of earthquake and subsequent fire fits the geology of this region.1 

In Psalm 26 the psalmist reminds God of past integrity while asking for purification.

 * [Psalm 26] Like a priest washing before approaching the altar (Ex 30:17–21), the psalmist seeks God’s protection upon entering the Temple. Ps 26:1–3, matched by Ps 26:11–12, remind God of past integrity while asking for purification; Ps 26:4–5, matched by Ps 26:9–10, pray for inclusion among the just; Ps 26:6–8, the center of the poem, express the joy in God at the heart of all ritual.2

In the Gospel from Matthew the episode of the Calming of the Storm at Sea points to our anxiety about “earthquakes” in our journey.

* [8:24] Storm: literally, “earthquake,” a word commonly used in apocalyptic literature for the shaking of the old world when God brings in his kingdom. All the synoptics use it in depicting the events preceding the parousia of the Son of Man (Mt 24:7; Mk 13:8; Lk 21:11). Matthew has introduced it here and in his account of the death and resurrection of Jesus (Mt 27:51–54; 28:2).3 

Rev. Luis Rodriguez, S.J. observes that, at times, Jesus seems to be asleep, when we feel we are about to drown in our personal or ecclesial storms.

 God seems to us not to care and we are tempted to panic. The disciples offer us a good lesson: they go to Jesus. They are afraid, even though they and Jesus are literally “in the same boat”. Fear can be a low level of rapport, but it can also be a beginning, just as curiosity was a beginning for Zacchaeus. Still their fear reveals their little faith.4

Don Schwager quotes “Training in courage and endurance,” by John Chrysostom, 347-407 A.D.

"He took the disciples with him, not for nothing and not merely to face an absurd hazard but in order to permit them to witness the miracle that was to take place on the sea. For like a superb trainer, he was gradually coaching and fitting them for endurance. He had two objectives in mind. He wanted to teach them to remain undismayed amid dangers and modest in honors. So, to prevent them from thinking too much of themselves, having sent away the multitude, he kept them near him but permitted them to be tossed with a tempest. By doing so he disciplined them to bear trials patiently. His former miracles were indeed great, but this one contained a unique kind of discipline of exceptional importance. For it was a sign akin to that of old [referring to Moses parting the Red Sea]. To do this, he took his disciples with him by himself. He permitted others to see his other miracles, but when trials and terrors were rising, he took with him none but those he was training to be champions of the gospel. (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 28.1.2)5 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 8:23-27 notes that the Evangelist uses “seismos” four times in his Gospel, and each time, it signals a deeper revelation about the identity of Jesus.

Lord over creation. (Matthew 8:23-27) Lord over history. (Matthew 24:7) Victor over death and True Son of God. (Matthew 27:51-54)... sovereign over death itself.(Matthew 28:2) Surely Jesus can help you in your personal “earthquakes”!6 

A lecture, delivered by Daniel P. Horan, OFM at Oblate School of Theology's Summer Institute explores our "Natural and Unnatural Fear; Rational and Irrational Hope."

I am currently concerned about the response of the “Global North” to the fate of the more than 66 million people, as reported by Caritas Canada, who are displaced from their homes. The causes of this displacement, climate change, war, persecution, genocide, industrial development, and poverty are storms that are not going to subside any time soon. One consequence of a market economy is that prices for material and labour rise when supply is low and demand is high. Unfortunately, the manipulation of the resources through application of the “myth of scarcity” has caused us to replace our generosity to displaced people with fear that we will lose our security in food and employment. Ironically, climate change has already been responsible for large displacements of people in the Global North due to fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and coastal erosion. Equitable distribution of the wealth of the planet is required to calm the storms and worldwide action to eliminate the causes of displacement are necessary.

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the character of Lot as he bargains down the angel. The representation of the wife of Lot in a pillar of salt may be an etiology connected to the geology of the Dead Sea area. Friar Jude reminds us that the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah had demonstrated a lack of hospitality in a Bedouin society in an arid land where it is most important.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, writes that the Hebrew prophets are in a category all their own. Within the canonical, sacred Scriptures of other world religions we do not find major texts that are largely critical of that very religion. Prophets can deeply love their tradition and profoundly criticize it at the same time, which is a very rare art form.

The dualistic mind presumes that if you criticize something, you don’t love it. Wise prophets would say the opposite. Institutions prefer loyalists and “company men” to prophets. We’re uncomfortable with people who point out our shadow or imperfections. It is no accident that prophets and priests are usually in opposition to one another (e.g., Amos 5:21-6:7, 7:10-17). Yet Paul says the prophetic gift is the second most important charism (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11). Prophets are not popular people. Note how the Gospels say it was “the priests, elders, and teachers of the law” who condemned Jesus.
Human consciousness does not emerge at any depth except through struggling with our shadow. It is in facing our own contradictions that we grow. It is in the struggle with our shadow self, with failure, or with wounding that we break into higher levels of consciousness. People who learn to expose, name, and still thrive inside contradictions are what I would call prophets.8 

In the events on our journey that arouse our fears our relationship with Jesus offers the opportunity to be challenged and changed. This transformation will develop the new creative leaders of the next period of history after this purifying exile.

References

1	(n.d.). Genesis, chapter 19 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 2, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/genesis/19
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 26 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 2, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/26
3	(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 8 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 2, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mt/8:37
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries - Creighton University. Retrieved July 2, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 2, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved July 2, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/07/02/
7	(2019, June 17). Natural and Unnatural Fear; Rational and Irrational Hope | Daniel P .... Retrieved July 2, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWEDeTxmwwg
8	(2017, September 11). Struggling with Shadow — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 2, 2019, from https://cac.org/struggling-with-shadow-2017-09-11/