Over the Winds and the Seas
“Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?”
In the delicate dance of color and form that is John Duncan’s “St Bride” (1917), there lies a silent narrative that speaks to the soul’s journey through life’s myriad challenges. The painting, a tableau of tranquility amidst a voyage of faith, subtly mirrors the resilience and hope found within the human spirit—a theme that resonates deeply with the ancient words of wisdom and comfort we find in this week’s Scriptures.
As the saint is gently cradled by the divine, her passage across the waters becomes a metaphor for the inner peace one finds when surrendering to a greater power. She is being mystically transported, so the legend goes, to be spiritually present at the birth of Christ himself. This serene surrender is not unlike the quiet strength that carries us through the storms of life, much like the ancient mariners who found their way by looking to the heavens, whos prayers echo in our Psalm for the week, or Job’s wonder at the God who spoke in the whirlwind.T
he artwork’s rich tapestry of symbols and scenes, each a quiet testament to the unfolding story of faith, reflects the transformative power of grace. It is a visual ode to the unseen hand that guides, protects, and nurtures the soul, much like the gentle guidance that shapes our lives in ways we often cannot see.
In the end, “St Bride” is more than a painting; it is a meditation on the complex beauty of the journey of faith. It invites us to look beyond the surface and find the threads of our own stories interwoven with the divine—a silent symphony of life’s grand design, where every heart finds its harmony in the embrace of the eternal.
Jesus woke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Jesus woke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
— Mark 4:39
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Texts for This Week
Prayer
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Even when He is silent
This week's scriptures take us on a profound exploration of faith's journey through life's storms. We hear the voice of the Lord from the whirlwind, marveling at the wonders of creation and the limitations of human understanding. The Psalmist recounts those who "cried to the Lord in their trouble" and found deliverance from the crashing waves and raging tempests. Paul urges us to live guided by the love of Christ, as "ambassadors" bringing reconciliation. And in Mark's Gospel, we witness Jesus calming the storm, offering divine peace to the wind and waves.
Into this tapestry, we weave the musical journey of "Even When He Is Silent". Kim André Arnesen composed this song in 2011, to haunting lyrics penned by an anonymous prisoner during World War II, found scrawled on a prison cell in the Cologne concentration camp. It is a profound expression of faith and hope amid utter despair. Arnesen's lush harmonies capture the soul's emotional voyage, building dramatically before resolving in a serene acceptance.
This recording is a 2023 performance from the Swedish choir En Kör, under the direction of Viktor Olsson. As we listen, we are invited to ponder our own pathways of trust in the silence and tumult of life. When the raging storms threaten to overwhelm, can we, like the ancient mariners, look to the heavens and find our way? Can we surrender to the unseen currents that mystically carry us, like St. Bride, toward the Christ?
In both Scripture and song, we discover the comforting truth that the Voice that stilled the winds still speaks into our lives, inviting us to "peace, be still." As we journey through life's whirlwinds and crashing waves, may we find ourselves ambassadors of that perfect calm.
