19th Sunday, 2014
Robert VerEecke, S.J.
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this Elijah
hid his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
After all the turbulence of nature, heavy wind rending mountains and
crushing rocks, an earthquake and a fire, Elijah experiences God in a tiny
whispering sound, sometimes translated “a still, small voice”.
I’ve just returned from my annual eight day retreat on the ocean at Eastern
Point in Gloucester. It’s a retreat house where many have gone over the past
60 odd years to “hear the tiny, whispering sound, the still small voice of
God” and/or the stentorian tones of Jesus echoing across the waters “Take
courage, don’t be afraid. It is I”.
This particular retreat was for Jesuits—with one exception. That one
exception is really a Jesuit at heart, an exceptional person who is part of this
4 pm worshipping community, Tony Compagnone.
One of the striking things about these particular eight days was how calm it
was. The ocean could have been compared to Lake Placid, barely a wave,
barely a ripple. There were no storms at sea like we just heard in the Gospel.
I have been at Eastern Point when there have been storms, with waves
crashing over the rocks, strong enough to sweep you away, which they have
been known to do. The power of nature was on display. Could you imagine
being a fisherman caught at sea in a storm where the turbulence could easily
capsize your vessel? Terrifying!
But the Lord was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire, or the storm
at sea.
This past week nature was so placid, so perfectly picturesque that you could
hardly believe this was the same world in which bombs were being dropped
over Iraq, where rockets were being fired in Gaza and in Israel, where
horrific war is being raged in the Ukraine, where the Ebola virus is
threatening countries and possibly a continent. There is so much terrifying
turbulence in our world, some caused by nature, more caused by in-human
beings. And we ask “Where is God in all of this terrible turbulence?” Could
it be in a tiny, whispering sound, a still small voice? When you’re in the
midst of the turbulence can that be enough of a manifestation of the power
and presence of God? Wouldn’t we prefer the God whom we see acting in
Jesus—who calms the storm, even the winds and sea obey him?
If the ocean was placid and there was only a gentle breeze this week, that’s
not to say that inside of each of us there was not turbulence of a psychospiritual kind with all our questions, doubts, fears, concerns for people
whom we know are suffering. My own inner turbulence came from concerns
for a former parishioner, an accomplished woman with a doctorate in history
who is unemployed, on the verge of homelessness and on the verge of
despair. She keeps crying out to God from the storms of her daily life and is
hearing nothing but silence from God. As I listened to the prayers of other
Jesuits this week, I could hear the turbulence and inner turmoil of burn-out,
anger, frustration caused by work, personal relationships or simply concern
for loved ones who are suffering. And is the “tiny whispering sound, the
still small voice” coupled with the voice of Jesus saying “Take courage,
don’t be afraid, it is I” enough to calm the inner storm, the inner turmoil and
turbulence? Words alone may not be enough even coming from the voice of
God, the voice of Jesus. But when there is the accompanying gesture, the
strong hand of Jesus holding on to us, saving us from sinking, drowning,
being pulled down by the undertow of life, than it is more than enough. And
not only that but remember that same hand that reached to save Peter from
drowning is the same hand nailed to a cross out of love for us.
We live in a turbulent world where each day brings another world crisis and
calamity, some that appear far off and some that hit nearer to home. But is
the invitation that we receive each day to live in the calm of the eye of the
storm? Is the invitation to hear the tiny whispering sound that says “You are
loved”? I AM WITH YOU.