daytime joy

june 28, 2005

St Irenaeus' Feast Day Mt 8:23-27

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves;but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?" Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm.The men were amazed and said, "What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?"

I once was asked as a part of a Scriptural study at the monastery to draw a picture of this Gospel story. I envisioned Jesus asleep at the stern because even though he was resting, he was still in control of the steering of the boat. The waters were choppy and in them sinking to the bottom was a broken cross. This to me was the weakened faith of those who did not trust that the sleeping Jesus was watching over them. The rest of the boat were in six pairs. The pair in the front was looking foward, the were a pair looking outward, a pair looking inward, a pair in total fear and despair with eyes closed clinging to each other, a pair trying to stir awake the sleeping Jesus, a pair vigorously rowing.

I need to be always in mind of the sense that Jesus is watching over me and I pray today on my Feast day, the Feast of St Irenaeus for a special intention. St Irenaeus lived from about 130 to 200 and was the second Bishop of Lyon and a study of Polycarp who was a student of John the Evangelist. He is considered one of the first theologians of the church, an apologist against the heresies of the time and an instrument of keeping the Eastern Church united with the Roman Church during his time when there was at a point a threat of a split. His name means peace. It is thought that he was a martyr but the details are not clear. After his death and burial, during the Reformation his tomb and body were destroyed. "The glory of God is man wholy alive." is one of his many famous quotes from his extensive writings of which only a fraction now remains.