On the first day of swim camp, a 9-year-old boy stood with his buddies on the edge of the shallow end of the pool. You could cut the excited air with a knife as the boys awaited their first lesson. Two hours later it was generally agreed that the swim lessons had gone off, er, swimmingly well. So, it was on the next day. But, as the days passed, the little boy realized that the swim lessons were getting harder. On day 4, when the coach had the boys gliding across the pool, this little boy would do the “ostrich”. The “ostrich” is a little known “swimming technique.” One leg drops down to the shallow floor, while pretending to glide across the pool. Did the means matter when the objective was to get to the other end of the pool? But just rewards do await swimming ostriches.
A mushroom cloud of embarrassment …
On the beginning of day 8, the coach had all the children line up at the edge again. Only this time, it wasn’t the shallow end, but the deep one. 12 feet deep, if you care for numbers. Well, the ostrich in question did and had rather strong opinions about it. On the sound of the coach’s whistle, all the boys, except one, jumped in to glide across the pool. A lone figure awaited the Coach’s arrival formulating choice rationalizations in his defense. No amount of begging and pleading, on the part of his buddies, his Coach or his father, helped. The boy refused to jump in! He threw the loudest hissy fit imaginable, setting off a mushroom cloud of embarrassment, that was seen for miles around.
After having fled the scene, he never returned to the swim camp. In case you are wondering, to quote John 21:24, “It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true”.
The siren call of a possessive pronoun
There is something about the comfort of the shallow known. When the siren call of God’s will beckons, it holds back even the intrepid faithful from diving into the deep unknown. But there are moments in our lives, available to those who seek, when a tectonic shift in our attitude begins to materialize. Strangely, we begin to find more solace in the deep unknown. We prefer the deep end of the pool. Maybe, this happens whilst in silent Eucharistic adoration. Or maybe in dramatic flashes on a personal Road to Damascus (Acts 9:3). We find the paradigmatic example of this principle in Thomas, the Didymus. After uttering that famous confession, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28), he was found preaching the good news to south Indians in the far east.
Often the focus is on Thomas’ confession, his conversion from unbelief to belief. I venture to submit that in that confession is an oft ignored possessive pronoun, “my”, that hasn’t received its due attention. That confession is an exclamation of a newfound, strengthened relationship – “My Lord and My God”! Jesus’ gentle response was both an admonishment and an invitation to all of the faithful, who have not seen and have believed (John 20:29).
It is an invitation to a deeply personal and immanent relationship with God. An invitation to become members of the household of God (Eph 2:19). The siren call of that possessive pronoun comforts. It gives us the confidence to begin that great new adventure in the Spirit, with “my Lord and my God”. Some of us ostriches may prefer to bury our heads in the sand and deafen out that call. But, those who heed the call, discover flight. They blow in the wind and go where the wind wills, not knowing where it came from or where it will take them (John 3:8). Amen.
Fabulous as usual. Loved the swimming story and the contemplation that followed. Also, always thought St Thomas got a bad rap on the doubting episode. If one looks closer to when Jesus was determined to go to Bethany, and the disciples feared Jesus would be killed by the Jews there, it was Thomas that said: “Let us go with Him, so we may die with Him.” Btw… we should zoom again sometime. Would love to talk to you again. God Bless, your friend Jerry. Maybe I will see you at the Zoom meeting on July 17.