Still The Storms

Living on Cape Cod we’re used to stormy seas with breaking waves tossing boats and moving beach sand far better than any bulldozer or dredge.  Relentless pounding waves generated by storms at sea with raging gale winds soon reach our beaches ripping open peninsulas of sand to create breaks and disruption – and flooding.  Just think of the breaks off Chatham and the one separating Martha’s Vineyard from Chappaquidick Island for about eight years.  

This unruliness of the ocean beyond our control contrasts with our first reading from Job where we hear of God limiting the power of the sea and stilling the waves.  Then in the psalm we hear that God can raise up a storm wind creating high waves or can hush the storm to a gentle breeze, again stilling the waves.  Maybe that’s why we claim an act of God when there is storm damage.  I’ve never liked that term placing the blame on God for natural disasters.  How foolish.

The difficult times of our lives are like storms with high crashing waves ripping us apart. Fortunately, these storms are separated by periods of calm – peace and tranquility – slow rollers and seas with flat surfaces typical of hot summer days.    

For some of us though, the storms never seem to end, and the waves are like those caused by hurricanes.  Those suffering unending pain of some sort, such as emotional and spiritual pain, always hear these howling winds. Sufferers are like houses falling into the sea as the sand beneath them is washed away. 

So, how do we hush these storms and still the waves?  How do we prevent ourselves from falling into the sea and being washed away?  One solution comes to mind, and today reminds us of it. It’s Fathers Day.  

We should turn to our fathers and the saving grace they can provide.  With them we can find help and comfort.  At least that’s the way it should be, so we look around at the fathers in this church, and we ask: "Is that what our children can expect from us?  If not, why not?" 

This Fathers Day all fathers should reflect on the Gospel reading.  Do our children find us asleep on a cushion in the boat with us ignoring their needs – especially to be loved without condition?  Or, fathers, are we awake and realize our children may be pounded by violent squalls, and that we, like Jesus, can stop the terror, cause the winds to cease.  We can be their life preservers through love we must always give them. 

There’s another important question to ask.  Do we realize we may be the waves breaking on their boats.  The disciples in the boat asked Jesus this question: “Teacher do you not care that we are perishing?” For those who have seen the movie “Life of Pi,” we might be the tiger in the boat.  Jesus tells us fathers: “End the terror, and love them before they perish.” 

To all of us, Jesus, would say, “There is no substitute for the presence of a loving father.  If your children are adrift, wake up and row!”

Jesus also would say, “Men, even if you are not biological fathers, you can still be fatherly to a child, teenager, or someone older by getting into their boats and being a father-figure by listening, supporting, and loving.” Our church encourages this through its emphasis on the importance of fatherly love.
   
Now, some of us may no longer have fathers with us.  Perhaps they have died.  Or worse: They were never in our lives to begin with.  So what do we do?  We pray for them, and we honor them because they gave us life.  We may have to forgive them.

We also turn to our heavenly Father who is always with us and loves us.  Now, t hat’s comfort provided we realize our wide-awake God is always in our boats whether the seas are calm or stormy.

I end with a story.  Luke’s mother died when he was very young and his father brought him up. Luke played college football, and his father made sure that he was always there to cheer his son at every game, even if Luke wasn't playing.  Luke being small sized, wasn't allowed to play very often.  Nevertheless, he continued to practice and hone his skills.

One day during practice, the coach gave him a message.  Luke read it.  Swallowing hard, he slowly said to the coach, "My father died this morning. Will it be all right if I miss practice today?"  The coach gently put his arm around Luke’s shoulder and said, "Take the rest of the week off, son.”

On the day of the game, Luke’s team was losing badly. Luke pleaded with the coach to let him to play.  Finally, the coach gave in, and no sooner had Luke entered the game, both teams were tied.  The real cheer came during the game’s closing seconds when Luke intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown.  His team members raised him up on their shoulders. The crowd came running to celebrate the win.

Afterwards in the locker room the coach went up to Luke and asked, "Son, I can't believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?"  

Luke looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and replied, "Well, you know my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?"  The young man swallowed hard, forced a smile and said, "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!"

Fathers, on this special day let's give thanks for our sons and daughters.  Let's always see them with wide-open eyes, now and not later.

Deacon David Pierce