Christ sleeps in the deepest selves of all of us, and whatever we do in whatever time we have left, wherever we go, may we in whatever way we can call on him as the fishermen did in their boat to come awake within us and to give us courage, to give us hope, to show us, each one, our way. May he be with us especially when the winds go mad and the waves run wild, as they will for all of us before we're done, so that even in their midst we may find peace...we may find Christ (Frederick Buechner).

This morning we will sing the Naval Hymn. The song reminds me that there are people in harm’s way defending my freedom. I pray for their families that worry about them and I pray every day that they will safely return home to their loved ones as soon as possible. Most of us have never been on the front line like our military, our police, our rescue workers, and our firemen, but almost all of us have felt the deep fear when we have been in danger. Maybe it was a serious illness, an auto accident, turbulence on a plane, or a storm when we were on a boat, but most of us have felt that sick feeling in our belly.

Some of the disciples were experienced fishermen, so we know that the danger was real when the boat began to fill with water as they were crossing the Sea of Galilee. One of the disciples woke Jesus up and asked him if he cared if they were perishing. Jesus said, “Peace. Be still.” 

The world is a scary place. Just read the newspaper or watch the news and you might be fearful. Our culture and politics in particular use fear to drive your emotions. This week, a large group of people from Huntington protested the separation of immigrant families. Did you know that “Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2013 carried out more than 72,000 deportations of parents who said they had U.S.-born children, according to reports to Congress?” The fact is that all of us could be more compassionate to immigrants in this country. Take Action! Write Congress to stop family separation and defend access to asylum! If you’ve already reached out, get in touch with 5 friends now and encourage them to speak out too. Be an Informed Advocate. Learn more about immigration issues through these educational resources from the Office of Government Relations:

WATCH: “Understanding Our Immigration System" or 

“Loving Your Neighbor: Faithful Action on Immigration” webinar

Additional Resources: 

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry Joint Statement on Family Separation at our Borders 6/7/2018

Statement from Rebecca Blachly, Director, Office of Government Relations                       

Immigration and Refugee Policies of The Episcopal Church                                         

UNHCR urges family unity at southern US border                                                   

Actions from the Women’s Refugee Commission                                             

Frederick Buechner believes that Jesus Christ is asleep in each of us. When the Gospel stirs our hearts, we can practice the loving-kindness that our Lord shows to us. We can begin to work together for justice with compassion in our hearts. You can lead the way by waking Jesus in our hearts and loving one another as God loves us. Be an Informed Advocate and take collective action.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan