“THIS MANNER OF MAN”
Saint Matthew 8: 23-27
4th Sunday after The Epiphany: 29 January Anno Domini 2017
Father Jay Watson SSP
O how many times this familiar Gospel text is preached. All Christians know it and are enriched and strengthened by it. “What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” exclaimed the “12.” Yes, and Captain Nemo and Jacques Cousteau notwithstanding, only One controls the sea. Poseidon and Neptune are fictitious. Only One is Lord over the deep…Who with the Father and The Spirit hovered over the face of the deep and created the waters below and waters above. So, it goes without saying to such as yourselves, Christians who know the Sacred Scriptures intimately, this Nazarene Rabbi in Simon Peter’s boat was able to still the sea because He was no ordinary Rabbi—He was God. He is the Son of God to be sure, but He is God. He is The Son of The Father, begotten not made, but He is also, as He was to Saint Thomas, “[your] Lord and God.” Matthew learned what the Psalmist knew, both by the same Holy Ghost, that “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.” [Ps. 107.29] As The pre-incarnate Son of God parted the Red Sea, parted the Jordan River, and caused water to gush forth from a rock, The Incarnate Son of God tames that ferocious gale force storm on the Sea of Galilee as easily as one blows out a candle.
But that truth of Dominion over nature doesn’t help you when your pain meds aren’t cutting it; doesn’t brighten your day when your sister is given less than two months to live because of a fast-acting cancer. Even the calming of the storm that day 2,000 years ago, as miraculous and true as it was, probably didn’t bring much hope or joy to the 230,000 dead victims of 2004’s Indonesian generated ocean tsunami. Those waves were not stilled.
But again, it is preached because it’s true. Suffering and death are not the worst things that can happen…sinning is…and the result of un-repented sin is…dying in unbelief is…damnation is! Better to drown in agony by water than to drown eternally in the lake of fire.
It’s one thing to say to Jesus “Lord comfort me and mine in our pain, heal us of our diseases if it be Thy will, and let Your Word have free course to the edifying of all Gentiles and of Thy people Israel.” But it is sinful to say “Lord, save me lest I perish” if you say it in unbelief and the doubt of whether He would let you perish. Now, He will permit you to die, but He will never allow you to perish. It is sinful to be “fearful” for it evidences “little faith.” You can fear “fear” and you can fear that pain may be more than you can bear, but then The Spirit bathes you in The Word which by Paul tells you: “that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.” [2 Cor. 1.7] Over 170 times Holy Writ has The Lord saying “Fear not.” The angels likewise repeat this refrain. Law condemns fear but The Good News of He Who casts out all fear and enters in as The Peace of God, heals the frightened and brings comfort of forgiveness. Saint John writes: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” [1 John 4.18]
Yes, this text is used both as simile and metaphor for your life of trials and temptations. You’ve been exhorted over the years about the Church being the ship and the waves as being daily attacks by demons, earthly decays, and your own trespasses. Sure. But it’s not some figure of speech whereby Jesus is going all spiritual on you. Just because He is invisible doesn’t mean He’s only spiritual. He is The God/Man…He remains the ever present Incarnate One. He is always with you with His Body and Blood and with His Breath and Words. So, while the connection to the boating incident, the disciples’ sin, and the Lord’s power and rescue do ALL apply to you and your own fight against your waves, your fears and lack of faith in His delivering and sustaining of you, let this never be but a spiritual exercise of you “trying” to have more faith and working harder at obeying.
Coastal land by itself, naked and unaided will always be eroded by the relentless pounding of the storm surge and rolling breakers as they smash into the shoreline. The earth will fall and be reclaimed by the sea. Only a seawall that is built by someone can protect and give some aid, surcease, and protection to the inanimate land. Only The Christ of God is your seawall, a cross beam barrier and shield to both the flaming darts (waves) of the devil as well as a bulwark to the raging rain of The Father’s wrath against sin and all unrighteousness. Jesus the true Jonah is voluntarily cast out of the boat into the deep. He, Peace enfleshed, is cast out of The City of Peace to be nailed and raised as the true Ship’s bloody mast of mercy. This Captain of your soul goes down with the ship. Not the ship of the Church, for the gates of hell (the waves of hell) shall not prevail against Jesus’ Mighty Fortress, but He goes down into the earth to redeem all those who have died and will die; to liberate all the souls held in Satan’s bondage; and to wrestle against not Jonah’s great fish but against the old ancient dragon and serpent.
There is nothing spiritual about His water of life flowing from His pierced side on Calvary, filling this font, and keeping you, not hydrated and moisturized, but forgiven and forever. “Therefore [you] are buried with Him by Baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of The Father, eve so [you] also should walk in newness of life.” [Rom. 6.4] There is nothing metaphorical about the peace, not on the Sea of Galilee, but in the hearts and souls of His New Testament disciples when He rebukes the devil and absolves you of your sins. “The Peace of The Lord be with you alway” This manner of man. This manner of God. This manner of God/Man.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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