Today we heard from two scripture passages that I often like to reflect on: our first reading from First Kings about Elijah on the mountain, and St. Matthew’s version of Jesus walking on the water. The first serves as a reminder to me that God is always there to listen to me whenever I begin to doubt my ministry and call, especially whenever I face a challenge that I don’t really understand or know how to face; the second because it serves as a reminder to me that God has a sense of humor even in the face of those challenges.
First, Elijah. I found it intriguing that in today’s first reading, a particular phrase is omitted – twice. “Why are you here, Elijah?” It’s missing from the 2nd part of the very first line, when Elijah takes shelter in a cave, and again as the 2nd part of the very last line, as Elijah stands at the entrance of the cave as God passes by. “Why are you here, Elijah?”
“Here” in this case, is the mountain of Horeb. Horeb: also known as Mount Sinai or the Mountain of God. It is first mentioned in the Bible when Moses has his encounter with the burning bush in Exodus; it is also where God gave Moses the 10 Commandments. Now, in this passage, the mountain is where Elijah encounters God.
We often focus on the whispering sound of God found in this scripture, and rightfully so. It is hard to hear God in the noise of the world and, when we are trying to understand what God wants of us, we need to know that we can best hear Him when we make room for silence in our lives.
But I think we can miss a bigger picture if we don’t see this in the total context of Elijah’s prophetic mission which, in light of our ministry fair this weekend, is appropriate for us to reflect on.
Elijah the Tishbite. We should all be familiar with him, for in the Gospels Jesus compares him to John the Baptist. He is first mentioned in Chapter 17 when he goes to Ahab, king of the northern kingdom of Israel, to call him to repentance. He proclaims a drought that lasts 3 years. He lives with a widow in Zerapeth, providing food for her and her son and he raises that son from the dead. He also contends with the 400 prophets of Baal and defeats them by calling down fire from heaven. He flees from the scene because Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, wants to have him killed. Today’s scripture picks up from there.
Although he was called by God to mission, Elijah thinks he’s a failure since Ahab and the people of Israel failed to repent, and he comes before God to complain about his mission.
“Why are you here, Elijah?”
Too often I think that,when we hear this line, God is being stern with Elijah, putting him on the spot. But the fact that God comes to him not in the storm or the fire or the earthquake but in the gentle whisper of the breeze should be a comfort to him – and to us. True, He will send Elijah back to continue his mission, just as He sends us even when we think we're failures. But here, we’re reminded that God is a gentle, loving God to those who serve Him, even when they are uncertain of their efforts.
Then, from the storms of the mountain we move to the storm on the sea. I love this particular Gospel passage because unlike many people, I see it as proof that God has a sense of humor. One might think Jesus is disappointed with Peter – “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” But Jesus already knows what is going to happen so, instead of saying, “Come” why wouldn’t He have just said, “Wait, Peter, I’ll be there in a minute.”
To me, this is the perfect practical joke. It begins with Peter, after hearing the Lord’s voice, issuing a challenge to Jesus: “Command me...” There’s almost an arrogance to it. It’s not a request; it doesn’t even show that Peter questions who Jesus is. It’s more than a statement; it IS a command in and of itself.
Jesus already knows that Peter is in no danger from the storm or the water. Jesus is there. What better way to break the tension of the storm and provide Peter with a lesson in humility that to just say, “Come.”
Now, Peter is on the spot. I’m not sure I know what Peter was expecting, but I’m not sure that “Come” was it. Everyone in the boat most likely was afraid of the storm: at the very least they were having to battle the storm about them. To step out of the boat in the face of it would certainly require an act of faith.
And, as soon as Peter began to sink, Jesus was there, holding out His hand. Unlike the movies showing Peter becoming fully submerged, I think it more likely that the water began to move up his legs, since it didn’t say that he sank like a stone. Still, if it was me, even water only up to my ankles would make me cry out, “Lord, Save Me!”
Which, of course, Jesus does. And then comes that powerful line, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" I can almost see Jesus smiling at Peter when he says it – not the condescending sneer of someone thinking they’re superior to another, but the loving smile of someone comforting a friend.
And for those of us who might doubt that Jesus might be smiling at Peter, remember that we as humans often need humor to overcome our fears and the trials we face. There is a reason why psychologists and medical personnel say that “Laughter is the Best Medicine”. That’s why the tag line on every one of my emails is a quote from Mattie Stepanek, an amazing young man who died at the age of 14 after suffering almost his entire life with from a rare form of muscular dystrophy and who considered himself a messenger from God:
“Remember to play after every storm.” (By the way, Mattie was a great practical joker.)
So, in a sense both of these readings have a couple of things in common. First, they are both about God calling out to us in the noise and storms of our lives. Second, when God calls to us, it’s not about commanding us to mission, it’s about reassuring us in our mission.
We are all called to serve, and there are opportunities for everyone.
- For youth: God may be inviting you to become altar servers.
- For those who are seeking to grow in faith: God may be inviting you to work as volunteers in faith formation programs for middle school students, for high school and young adults, or as RCIA sponsors. Don’t worry about sinking from lack of knowledge; God is there to lift you up and support you as you learn.
- For those who love God: Serve as a liturgical minister – there’s opportunities to become Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, Proclaimers of the Word, Ushers to provide guidance and safety to others, or to praise God joyfully in a choir.
- For those called to service of others: Check out the various service organizations available to you.
Like the question posed to Elijah, we are all asked to ponder, "why am I here?" And like Peter, Jesus commands us all to get out of the safety of boat.
THAT’S why we’re here.
