Father Jake pointed out a helpful sermon when he visited a friend’s parish after General Convention’s painful close: the rh[ ] factor: Blowing the “still”
The British Navy has a strange custom. If there’s a sudden disaster aboard shipo, the “still” is blown. It’s a whistle that calls the crew to a moment of silence in a time of crisis. When the still is blown, people aboard know that it means. “Prepare to do the wise thing.” They tell us that this moment of calm has helped avert many a catastrophe.
The General Convention ended just four days ago but we’re already hearing warnings about deadly storms brewing all around us. We’ve heard most of it before, but now some of the actions we’re seeing feel like those waves crashing over the boat threatening the demise of life as we have known it. I am pleased with probably 95% of the work of our General Convention. But there is that nagging 5% that breaks my heart, deeply wounds me.
Maybe what our church has done is “blown the ‘still'” in a time of crisis. Called for the calm on the ship. Prepared to do the wise thing. The wise thing is not a particular outcome. The wise thing is creating a calmer place so we can better hear God speak from the storm.
You can only claim this power when you know the value of stillness and practice it, when you do not give in to the panic and fear but hear the words of Jesus spoken with authority:
Be still!Do not be afraid!
I am with you always!
I could have used this advise several times over the last few weeks, and so could a lot of people on both sides of the fence in Columbus.
