“darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” -- Genesis chapter 1, verse 2
One of our oldest traditions is imagining the Church as a ship. For this reason, the ceiling of our church is one of its architectural graces. Look up. See the ribs? Our church is built in the semi round, according to current rules of the bishops. Nevertheless, like many of the great churches in history, our church’s ceiling resembles the bottom of a boat. It does not have the long galley of older traditional churches, but you can still see the bottom of the boat if you want to.
This Sunday’s Gospel reminds us that we are on a spiritual journey... the same journey that Peter, Paul, Cecilia, Jerome, Katherine, Ignatius, Teresa, and John Paul II were on. We are in the same Church. The same boat. We are aided by the same sacraments, and we hope for the same salvation.
Our journey is both collective (the whole Church) and individual. Jesus calls us all to the same virtues, and all are tempted by the same sins. The big wide way of the Church has room for everyone, but it’s made of all the personal, narrow paths each of us must follow alone. Each of us must make our unique, particular response to God.
In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus makes the Apostles get in a boat and go ahead of him. The sea is rough. At the fourth watch, about 3:00 a.m., Jesus walks on the waters toward them, and they mistake him for a ghost. They are afraid, afraid of the ghost and the rough seas. Perhaps you know this moment. You can’t sleep. You toss and turn. As you drift in the waters of the night, you think of all the sea monsters around you— your demanding boss or an angry spouse; the death of a loved one; parents with dementia or prodigal children; a neighbors’ defamatory gossip about you or a health problem that doesn’t go away. Perhaps one of your own sin haunts you. These are not little irritations. They are potentially life changing. As the waters churn you feel dread and desperation in your soul. Where is God? Is he just a ghost after all?
As you lie in the darkness, miserable, you hear, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Jesus speaks to you, “Come to me.” Your heart jumps, you’re startled, but you go towards Him. Then you feel something else. Fear? Inadequacy? You remember who you are. How could you ever be enough? The waters of the night pitch and roll. The angels and saints and all who pray with you and for you are watching from the boat.
As you begin to sink into despair you feel God’s love touch you as firm as a hand under your arm. You hear His words say in some way or another (probably with a bit of humor) “Ye of little faith. Why would you doubt?” As you are lifted back into the boat, you find yourself in the narrow way of your own profound relationship to God. The waters calm. You drift, first in gratitude then off to sleep. Your journey is uniquely yours, but you do not make it alone. You are never alone.
“Out of the depths I call to you, Lord!”
WHEN: Monday, August 13, 2020, at 7:00 p.m.
Everyone is invited to start by making an intention to join in prayer. As we pray the Luminous Mysteries, we join in prayer of thanksgiving for God’s saving grace. We continue to pray for the conversion of those who refuse the love of Christ. We ask for God’s healing and consolation for a world suffering with disease, social unrest, and financial turmoil.
Saint Cecilia Congregation in the Rosary
Christ walking on water. Mosaic. Monreale Cathedral, Sicily, 12th