Prof. Francis X Clooney, Harvard Divinity School
Photo source: Harvard Divinity School faculty webpage
The path to a global understanding of religious wisdom, our shared heritage, often begins with small steps, such as drawing connections between two or three traditions. When we discover these commonalities, we lay a solid foundation. Sometimes, these parallels reveal themselves to us, even when we’re not actively seeking them.
For example, in many Christian churches, the Sunday, June 23 readings include two encounters with God in the context of a great storm. The Book of Job chapters 38-42 tell us about how God appeared “in the whirlwind: the great storm, to the long-suffering Job, to challenge him to explain the world and how it came to be before Job would presume to demand from God an explanation of why a good man — Job himself — had to suffer terribly. God has much to say in these chapters, but the setting is most memorable — God speaking from the midst of a great storm, the forces of nature revealed in all their terrifying power. Job listens to God but is also forced to his knees by the overwhelming experience of meeting God face to face.
In the Gospel for the same day, the Gospel of Mark chapter 4, Jesus has finished teaching the crowds by the lakeside. He and his disciples get into a boat to cross the lake at night. He is exhausted and immediately falls asleep. A great storm arises, and the ship is in danger of sinking, but Jesus sleeps through it; nothing disturbs his peaceful rest. Finally, the terrified disciples awaken him and beg for his help. Jesus looks around, and simply commands the storm, “Be quiet. Be calm”, and the lake is quiet again. They thought they knew Jesus, but now they are terrified: “Who is our master, that the wind and waves obey him?”
I have been studying Hindu traditions for more than fifty years now. So it is no surprise that in pondering these storms, the whirlwind, the lake, and encounters with God, I thought of Bhagavad Gita chapter 11. Arjuna has been in turmoil, but slowly, the wise teachings of Lord Krishna have calmed him, banished his confusion, and brought him peace, even on the field of battle. But now Arjuna dares to ask Krishna — “Let me see you as you are”. He knows Krishna already; they are friends, and they’ve sat at the table together and eaten meals. Perhaps he is expecting further peace and consolation. But of course, the opposite must first happen: Krishna shows himself in all his overwhelming power and glory, fire and blinding light, even in the powers of death and time. Arjuna cannot bear this. He confesses his weakness and foolishness and prostrate at the feet of Krishna; he begs Krishna to return to his standard form. Krishna does, and the fiery storm of God’s presence becomes quiet again, and Arjuna is all the more humble and solid and ready to do his duty.
I stop here, but I am sure readers will think of examples from still other religious traditions that show how the Divine is encountered in storms and fire in ways that we can hardly endure—even if, in the end, such overwhelming experiences of God are a grace that purifies us, makes us stronger, and makes us more ready for love and service.
Some texts:
Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me…” Then Job said: “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I humble myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Book of Job 38 and 42, New Revised Standard Version)
A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Be silent! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Gospel of Mark 4, New Revised Standard Version)
Beholding that excellent form of Yours, with its many mouths and eyes, O mighty-armed Krishna, its many arms, thighs, feet, bellies, many formidable fangs — the worlds shudder; so do I. Touching the world sky, flaming many-coloured, with gaping mouths and flaming vast eyes — beholding You thus, my inmost self quakes, and I can find no fortitude or tranquillity, O Vishnu. Seeing Your many mouths studded with formidable fangs resembling the fire at the end of time, I know not where to turn, and I find no shelter. Be gracious unto me, O Lord of the gods, O Home of the universe! (Bhagavad Gita 11; from the G. Feuerstein translation)