I WAS TALKING THE OTHER DAY WITH SOMEONE WHO IS NEW TO OUR CHURCH ABOUT THE STRANGE NAMES WE EPISCOPALIANS HAVE FOR ROOMS IN THIS BUILDING. FOR EXAMPLE, SHE DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THAT LITTLE ROOM BEHIND US HERE WE CALL THE SACRISTY. "NEVER HEARD OF THAT WORD," SHE SAID. "YES, LOTS OF OUR NAMES COME FROM THE LATIN OR GREEK," I ANSWERED. "Sacer" IS THE WORD FOR HOLY, AND THE SACRISTY IS WHERE WE WASH THE SACRED DISHES AMONG OTHER THINGS WE USE FOR COMMUNION." I ADDED, "AND THAT ROOM WAY IN THE BACK THERE, WHERE THE USHERS AND GREETERS STAND, THE CHURCH VESTIBULE, IS CALLED THE NARTHEX. THAT COMES FROM THE SAME WORD IN GREEK MEANING FUNNEL. WE ARE ALL DRAWN IN FROM FAR AND WIDE TO THIS NARROW OPENING."

I THINK THE MOST DIFFICULT WORD FOR PEOPLE TO REMEMBER IS THE WORD NAVE. THE NAVE IS WHAT WE CALL THAT SPACE FROM HERE TO THE NARTHEX, BETWEEN THE TWO SIDE AISLES. MOST CHURCHES USE THE WORD SANCTUARY TO INCLUDE THIS WHOLE SPACE. TECHNICALLY, FOR US THE SANCTUARY IS THAT SPACE FROM HERE TO THE ALTAR. THE WORD NAVE COMES FROM THE LATIN "Navis" MEANING SHIP...NAVY, NAVIGATION ALL COME FROM THAT ROOT WORD. IF YOU WONDER WHY THIS IS CALLED THE NAVE, JUST LOOK AT THE CEILING, AND IMAGINE THIS SPACE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, A BOAT WITH RIBS AND A KEEL. I’VE SAID ENOUGH ABOUT VOCABULARY- IT’S THE EX-SCHOOL TEACHER IN ME COMING OUT.

BUT I GOT STARTED ON THIS TRAIN OF THOUGHT WHEN THE SUBJECT OF BOATS CAME UP IN OUR READING. I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED BEING ON THE WATER ALTHOUGH I HAVEN’T DONE MUCH OF IT LATELY. AT ONE TIME I HAD A SMALL SAILBOAT AND REMEMBER MANY HAPPY HOURS BY MYSELF, CHALLENGED BY WIND, TIDE AND WATER, ON LONG ISLAND SOUND. BUT I’VE ALSO ENJOYED GOING OUT WITH FRIENDS, AND BEING ON AN OCEAN LINER. VENTURING ACROSS THE ATLANTIC. AND NOW I CARRY A LOVELY FANTASY OF ALL OF US BEING IN THIS BOAT TOGETHER, THIS CHURCH OF OURS.

I LEARNED RECENTLY FROM A SERMON GIVEN BY JIM PRICE THAT THE EARLY CHRISTIANS OFTEN USED A PICTURE OF A BOAT WITH A CROSS AS A MAST AS A SYMBOL OF THEIR CHURCH. I SUPPOSE IT REFLECTED THEIR SENSE OF THE COMMUNITY, GATHERED IN A PROTECTED PLACE, WHICH IN THOSE DAYS WAS OFTEN SUBJECT TO THE OUTSIDE PRESSURES OF DISCRIMINATION AND ABUSE. IN SOME WAYS, THINGS SEEM NOT TO HAVE CHANGED IN PLACES WHERE RELIGION IS A SOURCE OF DISHARMONY.

THIS MORNING WE FIND JESUS IN A FISHING BOAT ALONG WITH SOME OF HIS DISCIPLES. IT WAS HIS IDEA. HE SAYS TO THEM, "LET’S GO ACROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE," OF THE SEA OF GALILEE, TO DECAPOLIS. HE WAS NO DOUBT SEEKING TO ESCAPE THE CROWDS FOR A WHILE, AND HE WAS TIRED. HE MUST HAVE FELT COMFORTABLE IN THE BOAT BECAUSE HE IMMEDIATELY FELL FAST ASLEEP ON THE SEAT IN THE BACK.

AS THEY GOT AWAY FROM SHORE, THERE WAS AN ABRUPT CHANGE IN THE WEATHER AND THE SMALL BOAT BEGAN TO ROCK PERILOUSLY, TAKING ON WATER. THIS WAS NOT AN UNUSUAL PHENOMENON ON THE SEA OF GALILEE. THIS SMALL LAKE WAS LOCATED BETWEEN THE HILLS OF GALILEE AND THE MOUNTAIN OF MOAB, AND STORMS OFTEN CAME UP IN THAT VALLEY, BUT THE DISCIPLES WERE UNPREPARED, TERRIFIED. I CAN IMAGINE THEIR FEAR. IT IS NO FUN TO FEEL OUT OF CONTROL ON THE WATER. THEY SHOUTED TO JESUS, "TEACHER, DO YOU NOT CARE THAT WE ARE PERISHING." JESUS WOKE UP, REBUKED THE STORM AS IF IT WERE A DEMON AND SAID TO THE SEA, "PEACE! BE STILL!" THE WINDS DIED DOWN IMMEDIATELY AND THE WATER WAS CALM. HIS NEXT WORDS TO THE DISCIPLES WERE. "WHY ARE YOU AFRAID? HAVE YOU NO FAITH?" THEY COULD ONLY COMMENT TO EACH OTHER IN AWE, "WHO IS THIS THAT EVEN THE WIND AND THE SEA OBEY HIM."

IN READING THIS STORY I CAN RELATE TO THAT FEELING ONE GETS WHEN ONE HAS TO FACE THINGS FOR WHICH WE ARE UNPREPARED. FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS ONCE EXCESSED (AS THEY SAY IT TODAY) FROM A JOB. BUDGET PROBLEMS THEY SAID, THAT WAS THE ONLY REASON. I WAS NOT READY FOR THIS, ALTHOUGH PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL, AND IT WAS A BLOW. THEN, A FEW WEEKS AGO I WAS CALLED IN BY THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FOR AUDIT. AGAIN I WASN’T PREPARED. I’VE ALWAYS TAKEN PRIDE IN THE FACT THAT I’VE DONE EVERYTHING HONESTLY IN TAX PREPARATION. IN THESE CASES I’VE MANAGED TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATIONS. BUT SOMETIMES, LIKE A SHOT IN THE DARK, EVENTS COME ON US WITH A FIERCENESS THAT IS REALLY TOUGH TO HANDLE. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE DISCIPLES. THEY HAD NO WEATHER CHANNEL TO GIVE THEM ADVICE. THEY WERE TAKEN COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE, AND IT TRULY SCARED THEM.

THINKING ABOUT THIS EVENT IN OUR GOSPEL HAS CAUSED ME TO REFLECT ON MY RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS. IT IS SYMBOLIC OF MY SENSE THAT FOLLOWING JESUS DOESN’T MEAN WE WON’T MEET STORMS. HE DOESN’T SAVE US FROM STORMS, BUT HE OFTEN SAVES US IN STORMS. MANY TIMES WE CAN CONTROL OUR BOATS, TURN THE RUDDER, SHIFT THE SAIL, CHANGE JOBS, REDO OUR TAXES. BUT SOMETIMES WE COME UP AGAINST THINGS THAT AREN’T FIXABLE. THE MORE WE STRUGGLE, THE WORSE THEY GET. WE TRY TO MANAGE AND THE EVENT MANAGES US. THAT IS THE STORM THAT RESPONDS TO NO AMOUNT OF PERSONAL STRUGGLE. IT FORCES US TO DO WHAT THE DISCIPLES DID, SHOUT TO JESUS, "TEACHER DO YOU NOT CARE THAT WE ARE PERISHING?" IT IS A SCREAM FOR HELP, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT IS A PRAYER. "HEAR MY CRY, O GOD. LISTEN TO MY PRAYER." THE PSALMIST SAYS.

IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE OPPOSITE TO FAITH IS NOT DISBELIEF, UNBELIEF, IT IS FEAR. I DON’T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THAT. AT TIMES FEAR IS A VERY HEALTHY RESPONSE TO SOMETHING THAT IS DANGEROUS. AND HAD THE WATER CONTINUED TO SWAMP THE BOAT, THEY WOULD HAVE DROWNED...NO COAST GUARD, NO LIFE JACKETS. BUT WHEN WE FEEL THAT WE ARE DROWNING, IF WE CAN PREVENT FEAR FROM OVERWHELM US, AND REMEMBER THAT JESUS IS IN THE BOAT WITH US, WE CAN GET THE SENSE OF GOD’S SUPPORT FLOATING US TOWARD SAFETY.

HOW EASY IS IT TO SAY THAT, AND HOW HARD TO HAVE FAITH WHEN WE ARE IN DESPAIR. IN THIS STORY, I HEAR JESUS SAYING IN RATHER AN IRRITATED WAY, "HAVE YOU STILL NO FAITH?" THAT’S WHERE THIS BOAT OF OURS, ST. JOHN’S, BECOMES ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE WE CAN COME AND CRY OUT "HELP!" ALL OF US COME HERE TO SHARE OUR FAITH, TO HAVE OUR FAITH STRENGTHENED IN TIMES OF QUESTIONING, TO SUPPORT OTHERS ON BOARD WITH US WHO FACE STORMS THAT WOULD SINK THEM. AS A CREW OR PASSENGERS ON THE BOAT, EACH OF US HAVE DIFFERENT TASKS. THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN A BIG HUG WILL BE IMPORTANT. AND OTHER TIMES WHEN A VISIT MAY HELP A PERSON GET ON BOARD. OFTEN SHARED PRAYER IS NEEDED,OR MONEY,OR FOOD, OR HELP WITH CHILD CARE. EACH OF US NEED TO HAVE OUR ANTENNA UP TO LEARN ABOUT THOSE OF US WHO ARE DROWNING.

I GUESS THAT ST. JOHN’S CAN JUST ABOUT COUNT ON HAVING STORMS COME OUR WAY. WE LOST THREE BELOVED MEMBERS NOT LONG AGO AND FOR A WHILE OUR BOAT WAS ROCKING SERIOUSLY IN THE WIND. AND EACH ONE OF US INDIVIDUALLY CAN COUNT ON EXPERIENCING STORMS THAT SEEM TO HARD TO SURVIVE. BUT WE ARE ALL HERE IN THIS BOAT, AND THERE IS A PASSENGER ON BOARD WITH US WHO CAN HELP US IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM IF ONLY WE CAN ASK HIM FOR HELP, AND HAVE FAITH IN HIS ABILITY TO SAVE US.

The Rev. Ruth T. Healy - Priest Associate