Lenten Meditation for Today : Little Boat

Jesus got into one of the boats,

            the one belonging to Simon,

            and asked him to put out a little way from the shore.

            Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

                         —Luke 5.3

A little boat, not grand,

grimy with fish scales,

the patina of sweat and gunk.

Simon didn’t see it coming,

the sudden request to commandeer

his ordinary little boat,

from which the rabbi spoke words

that healed hearts,

that ignited miracles,

Simon noodling the oars

to keep the boat steady,

staring at Jesus’ back.

Was he already feeling out of place,

his boat a divine oracle,

like he shouldn’t be in it?

What was it like, to be inspired,

or convicted, or merely outclassed

in front of all those people?

It would take him longer

than that afternoon’s miracle

to truly get on board.

You never know how the Beloved

may climb into your plain, messed-up life

to birth blessing for strangers,

or how long it might take you

to come to accept

that it ought to be so."

~by Steve Garnaas-Homes