Jesus is caught in a storm at sea in today’s Gospel and tells disciples to have faith. Paul says he has faith in Jesus and writes his letters after Jesus establishes the Community of God for all people. However, in Paul’s writings there is a sinking feeling he doubts both Jesus and the Community of God. This is most apparent in his Letter to the Romans currently being read on successive Sundays. In it, Paul affirms belief in a violent deity who “inflicts his avenging wrath upon the evil doer.” Paul also describes not belief in the Community of God but in a smaller group of chosen people and their rulers, who are likewise violent. He writes, “It is not without purpose that the ruler carries the sword, he is God’s servant; to inflict his avenging wrath on the evildoer.” That contrast of a spoken faith in Jesus but a lived betrayal is currently apparent in self-titled Christians in the U.S. For all their declarations, they lack faith in Christ. Self-titled Christians are sinking in their own doubt and are attempting to take Jesus’ faith community down with them.
Faithless Christians today include Pastor Robert Jeffress and his many like-minded cohorts. Their lack of faith is most apparent in Jeffress’ exhortation this past week for nuclear devastation. Pastor Jeffress is a religious advisor to Donald Trump. Jeffress believes his ancient deity gives his chosen people of the U.S. and their President the moral authority to inflict nuclear wrath on North Korea. Jeffress, in the name of Christianity but using Paul’s Letter to the Romans, is urging and sanctifying nuclear war, “When it comes to how we should deal with evil doers, the Bible, in the book of Romans, is very clear: God has endowed rulers full power to use whatever means necessary – including war – to stop evil. … God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong-Un. … Thank God for a President who is serious about protecting our country.” The defense this M.A.D.man and his cohorts offer is that such weaponry is being threatened against the chosen people by North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un. If threatening their use makes Kim evil, then it makes Trump, Jeffress, and all cohorts evil. But Jeffress and cohorts claim they are exempt from the charge of evil because they are faithful believers in a violent Old Testament deity who is faithful to them as his chosen people. Like Paul, they express a spoken faith in Jesus but a lived betrayal. Theirs is the most grotesque of perversions. Theirs is the most shocking display of faithlessness. They are Judases, faithless betrayers of Christ. They are the storm causing sinking doubt, chaos, and violence. In these turbulent times, when faithless doubters who are an ill wind would submerge us in rulers and in empire, we will be corks. We will be buoyant.
“The boat was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. … Jesus came toward them walking on the sea. … “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said, ‘Command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat … but when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, began to sink, crying out, “Save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, … “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Prayer: Spirit, may we be a buoyant presence in life.
Question: When faithless people weigh me down, what can I do to remain a cork?
August 13, 2017 Gospel Matthew 14:22-33 Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time