SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2024 | AFTER PENTECOST - Proper 7 (B)

Texts

New Testament 2 Corinthians 6:1–13

Gospel Mark 4:35–41

Revised Common Lectionary (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2009).

2Cor: open wide your hearts!

Mark:

Disciples are still a bit clueless about Jesus and depend on him for survival - they haven’t grasped his steadfast and fearless faith yet.

Good morning,

Are you baked yet? I sure feel like it! What a hot week - I was wishing for a bit of a storm, but what happened last night wasn’t “a bit.” But it seems we cannot get weather in moderation as of late - it’s either sizzling heat or flood watch!

And yet, we are still here. Held up by grace of God and God’s love.

And hey, sometimes we might find ourselves like the disciples - fearful and feeling like God has abandoned us. The storm is raging, Lord, and you are sleeping? The suffering is immense and you are sleeping? The world is on the brink of world war and you are sleeping, how can you, God? We need you to do something!

Truth be told, there is a lot to lament. Dictators like Putin or Kim Jong Un are flexing their military muscles and joining forces even though their own people are suffering in poverty; wars rage on in Gaza and Ukraine even as we could say that any strategic gains are heavily outweighed by the sheer destruction and loss of life and the immense absurdity of wars is coming to fore; the oceans are filling up with plastic waste and so are our bodies as just about anything is getting yearly new models and previous models are being thrown out; etc.

The more you know, the more it may seem like you need to hold onto the stern. I think one needs to have some serious blinders on not to see just how much the world is messed up right now.

The world at large is sure far from being at peace and harmony - sure, little islands of that can be found there and there, be it at home, amongst friends, in church, or perhaps at a festival. And certain things are getting slightly better (if not enough) like violent crime on average is falling or prison phone calls in some states are being made cheaper or even free, so that prisoners can retain their sense of home.

However, it is a steadfast faith that helps us keep going in the other times and places, where peace and harmony is not present. Believing in the one that is obeyed even by the wind and the sea! THe author of the epistle we read calls on us to open wide our hearts, with innocence and trust of that a child. Jesus opens his heart to us, again and again, so we are called to do the same! Only in faith we can truly have hope for something better, something transformative, not just iterative such as a bit more money, lower taxes, better healthcare, or bigger family. Something that makes a real difference a bit like free lunches for all children (instead of the displaying of Ten Commandments in schools) or eradication of legal (and profitable) enslavement of Africans (instead of finding shameful quasi-religious arguments for it).

In faith, we are called to believe that the storms and heatwaves of this world are temporary and can be overcome. Jesus exemplifies that because he has firm resolve in his faithfulness to his Father in heaven. Let us do the same - by believing that change is possible and we are not just condemned to a life of rising fascism and xenophobic hatred, but that love and kindness WILL prevail only if we believe it and act like it. The storm may be raging, but we shall not be overcome. Amen.