It's Always Ourselves We Find in the Sea

by

Let us follow Jesus to the sea.

I love this line from a poem composed by that lowest-case of poets, ee cummings:

for whatever we lose (like a you or a me)

it's always ourselves we find in the sea

The sea is mystery. It’s a desert. Save but for the dark pinpricks of distant ships or birds gyring above, it is a great emptiness that clears away our pretenses. It washes away our preconceptions. Its waves grind to sand our hubristic edifices. It hides power and energy beneath its surface. 

In the sacred myth from the gospel of John, Jesus stands on the beach after his death and resurrection. HIs disciples are in a boat, fishing. Dark mysteries writhe and surge below the waves. Jesus knows what moves under the water. He sees the unseen. He tells his disciples where to drop the net. They follow his instructions and pull up a huge haul of fish. The sea is the realm of the unconscious. The waves are our fears. The Christ is the One within us who calms the waves and casts out the fear and enables us to find what we need to find below the surface.

And then, softly and tenderly, he calls his disciples – and us – to breakfast by the seashore. 

It’s always ourselves we find in the sea. We find that Self by unfinding: by recognizing who we aren’t. When you go to the beach, you have to leave a lot behind. Half the fun of it is reducing your belongings to what fits in a wicker basket, and wearing as little clothing as possible. And when you get into the water, there’s no carrying the wicker basket. Or even the flip-flops. 

Is this not what it means to follow the cosmic Christ? To move freely and joyfully in the waters of the soul, unburdened by all the baggage of habit and culture. To help people shed their assumptions, drop their worn-out beliefs, and soak up the sun of love and peace and total acceptance? 

In the gospel of John, the disciples went from being fishers of fish to being fishers of women and men and then to being fishers of fish once again, after the death of Jesus. A person’s gotta eat, after all. Jesus understood that. Let the people eat. All the people. Not just the 1%. Jesus helped his friends fish so that there would be food to spread around to the 99%.

Is this not what it means to follow the Christ – not just to preach justice, as he did, but to make justice real, as Jesus did? To press faithfully for effective social and political change, so that everyone will have food on the table? When we know who we really are, when we know who we really aren’t, when we shed ourselves of all that gets in love’s way – then we know we are here not just for our selfish selves. We’re here for each other. That means changing the economic and political system so that the needs of all are met. That means participating in politics on the side of the most vulnerable people in society. That means campaigning for issues and candidates. That means voting in every election, and votivating others to do the same. “Come, and have breakfast,” said Jesus by the sea. Following him, let us make sure there is enough breakfast for everyone.

It’s always ourselves we find in the sea: our true selves, and our true mission.

For whatever we lose, like a you or a me, it’s always ourselves we find in the sea….

"Softly and Tenderly" - traditional tune, with words by Jim Burklo:

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling

Calling for you and for me

Walking his pathway toward joy and compassion

Calling for you and for me

CHORUS:

Come home, come home

You who are weary come home;

Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling,

Calling, “Dear searcher, come home”

VERSE 2

Leave behind selfishness, fear, isolation

Leave behind hatred and greed –

Hear now the words of his kind invitation

Calling for you and for me:

CHORUS

VERSE 3

Up on the mount you can hear the announcement

Mercy for you and for me

Love without limits, forgiveness abounding

Justice for you and for me

CHORUS

VERSE 4

Answer his call with your feet on the pathway

Heading for love and for peace

Heading for home in the kin-dom we’re building

Home that’s for you and for me

CHORUS