On the Sea

Work has started. It's good work; valuable work. But make no mistake: to quote a poster I used to have, it sure cuts into your day.

As the year began, we had the first Mass of the year. Though not Catholic, 32 years at a Catholic school lets me follow along pretty well without embarrassing myself. I've learned the songs, know the responses, the solemnity of the service. I have learned to appreciate the beauty and peaceful rhythm of the Catholic Mass. My own churches I have attended tend to be a bit more....enthusiastic.

Different is not a value judgment.

The morning's Gospel reading told of Jesus walking out to frantic Disciples in a boat on a churning, frothing Sea of Galilee, that magnificent lake showing off for its Maker, who strolled along on the foaming, white-capped water ...., Peter climbing from the boat to join Him, sinking, crying out, Jesus grasping his hand, saving him from dropping into the depths....both of them entering the boat, and the seas, having shown their stuff, calming down. As the priest read the familiar verses from Matthew, I closed my eyes and saw from two months ago the beautiful, blue Sea of Galilee, 40 dear people on a boat riding along the Sea--that day, a Sea of Glass. The next morning the waves buffeting the beach illustrated the Gospel reading better.

We saw in Israel a 2000 year old boat, small, brought up oh, so carefully, from the silt at the bottom of the water, preserved one small area at a time. I pictured that boat tossed about on the waves, wind pitching it. It wouldn't hold twelve robust men, so I stretched it--same shape, bigger.

On our modern, much bigger, boat--it might as well have had a huge sign with flashing lights saying, "Tourist Ride! Tourist Ride!"--we danced the Hora to the ultimate Jewish song, "Hava Nagila." Most of us didn't dance it well

, but we didn't lack for enthusiasm! This morning I smiled as I remembered...

.....and into my mind slipped, again, a picture of Jesus along the shores, calling his first disciples, fish nets floating on that shining, azure water, those strong, muscled men leaving all to journey with Him, transferring their known tasks of catching fish to the celestial appointment of fishing for men.

That small land changes its visitors.....the archaeology that digs up the history of Scriptures and shows so much of how it really was.

And, when I need an escape, when the world is too much with me, I will close my eyes and be there.