‘Jesus….rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!”’From Mark 4: 35-end.
”We come to God not by navigation but by love.” St Augustine.
Today is Sea Sunday, a time to remember those who patrol or work the seas on our behalf. This is a particularly dangerous time for all seafarers while they battle ongoing crises such as those of piracy in the Suez Canal and warfare between Russia and Ukraine as well as the storms and tsunamis that are regularly faced. That’s in addition to being away from families and home for long periods of time, the exhausting work, boredom or health issues that can sometimes result and the poor conditions or abandonment that can arise if their companies fail. With rising costs of fuel, vessels and goods, that can increasingly be the case and the emotional cost of the items for sale in supermarkets, shops and online is often considerably more than the price paid at the checkout.
The notion of a voyage is sometimes used for the Christian journey through life, even if the location is completely landlocked, evoking Noah and his family who clambered aboard the Ark to find safe passage through the waters of flood and chaos. So, if there are times when it seems as if we’re navigating stormy waters, have lost our course or long for safe harbour, we shouldn’t be too surprised! As in the Gospel today, the hymn Guide me, O thou great Jehovah also speaks of dying as a voyage we will all eventually have to undertake with the elements as well as our lives subject to his guidance: ‘When I tread the verge of Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside. Death of death and hell’s destruction land me safe on Canaan’s side.’
Reflecting this, infants are baptised here with a scallop shell, valued by pilgrims travelling to the Shrine of St James at Compostela when found on the shores of Spain and used for food as well as a primitive filter to trap grit in the drinking water being scooped up from streams along the way. It became the sign of a pilgrim and many of those who come to this place of pilgrimage take a scallop shell away with them as a reminder of coming here.
Today, it takes more than the rills of a scallop shell to deal with the dirt and pollution in our seas, rivers and oceans. These are being affected by global warming and carbon dioxide which causes coral bleaching whilst sewage, over-fishing, chemicals and plastic take their toll too. The huge cruise liners that are so popular also have their effect, all of which can cause sea levels to rise in places where livelihoods, welfare and creatures as well as humans are affected in ways of which we’re often heedless.
So, St Augustine’s words are particularly relevant as we today consider how love of God, neighbour and self can make a difference where navigation is not the only consideration. As we ponder the options before us, purchasing power amongst them, take heart: aware of the crisis in the Suez Canal, China is already sending festive goods to these shores so that you will still be able to buy a robotic reindeer or elf in good time for Christmas should you need one!
With my prayers; pob bendith,
Christine, Priest Guardian.