Words matter. Today’s reading from the Gospel is one of those sections that is hard to figure, for me at least. Jesus has made the fig tree wither overnight because it didn’t have any fruit on it when he chanced by – never mind that it was not the season for figs. So in response, Jesus says to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” The next day, he and the disciples walk by and see the withered tree, and his disciples are astonished. Jesus says to his disciples that if they say to the mountain, “jump into the sea”, it will if they have no doubt in their hearts but rather believe, it will happen. He concludes with saying that whatever they ask in prayer, believe you have received it, and it will be happen.
With apologies for the repeat theme, with a sick loved one who has a life-long illness, I struggle with this – just have enough faith, and it will be done. As a result, these sections where it seems like that’s what Jesus is saying warrant special attention. Either this translation is right, and I just don’t believe enough, or something’s not right with my understanding.
My morning prayer practices uses the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. If I look at this sentence even with this one translation, there is wiggle room. There are three separate actions. Ask in prayer. Believe it’s done. It will be done. Does the answered prayer come at the point of the genuine ask? Or does the answered prayer come only after demonstration of the belief?
Maybe this is splitting hairs, but here’s an example of the difference. A nurse is coming by the apartment today to administer some medicine for my loved one. I am absolutely, whole-heartedly praying for a calm and peaceful morning. I absolutely, whole-heartedly believe God can make that so. Does my prayer and my belief guarantee that the morning will be objectively calmer and more peaceful? Is there such a thing as the objective truth of a situation, or because we’re human, are all situations inherently subjective? Does my prayer and belief guarantee that the morning will be subjectively more peaceful and calm?
The belief Jesus is calling for maybe has more to do with a belief that prayer will change me. In this case, I absolutely, whole-heartedly know that if I pray for a calm and peaceful morning, it will be, because I absolutely, whole-heartedly know that I can be way more calm and peaceful with an intention to be so, and from invoking God to be there with me. Whole heartedly.
I don’t know about mountains jumping into the water, or for miracle cures of currently incurable illnesses. Maybe that’s a lack of faith, or maybe that’s praying within the constraints of the world as I know it now. I do pray that advances will be made in the treatment and prevention and curing of this illness, and I wholeheartedly believe they’re occurring.
It is splitting hairs. Maybe it is like contemplating how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. But it remains a challenge to have this gnawing sense that, like what’s professed by prosperity gospel proponents, serious illness and untimely death are the result of a lack faith. That just sounds punitive and stupid. But if not careful, you can absolutely get there from this translation of the Scripture.
This morning, I’m thinking about how words really really matter. Where we put commas, how we translate languages, what we allege about other people’s faith. For example, if you look at the translation of this same section from The Message, it reads, “That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything”.Today, I will pray and believe. And be careful with my words.
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