The Way of the Wind

                                   Storm on the Sea of Galilee -- Rembrandt 1633

  On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.  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?”  

And waking up, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Be silent! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Mark 4: 35-41 NRSVue

1 I feel the winds of God today; today my sail I lift,

though heavy oft with drenching spray and torn with many a rift;

if hope but light the water's crest, and Christ my bark will use,

I'll seek the seas at his behest, and brave another cruise.

Voices United 625

Some writers are astonishing in their breadth of interest with an ability to encapsulate concepts and facts. One of the best is Simon Winchester who has written a gajillion books on every subject imaginable including what I think is his most recent The Breath of the Gods: The History of and Future of the Wind.

I found it to be both informative and entertaining. Winchester reminds us that the wind has shaped history -- think Spanish Armada -- and allowed for exploration and trade long before there were engines to propel boats. The US bombers deployed to firebomb Japanese cities during WWII discovered that fierce winds at high altitude made their missions risky and inaccurate and led to the discovery of what we now call the jet stream. Early in the book he offers:

Wind in short, seems universal. Air in motion finds its way into just about every activity and inactivity of man, beast, plant, and thing that exists in the world above its waters and as we shall see later, the connection between wind amd waves is intimate and of immense importance, it works its way and its will on the surface of the waters too...

Air moving across reeds, single or double, produces music of ethereal beauty; sounded through brass it resonates and stirs to action. t generates power, flies kites, performs work, lifts water...Wind alters the moods and attitudes of human beings --in France one can still beg a court's mercy for the malevolent mistral that impelled you to commit a murder. 

                                                                  Nativity Shepherd holding his cap

I found it quite charming that in that region of Provence Nativity scenes often have shepherds who are holding on to their caps, a reminder of the incessant wind.

Winchester also notes that wind figures prominently in the bible with the mighty wind summoned by Moses  allowing the people of Israel to escape Egypt through the Red/Reed Sea while Elijah has his tumultous mountaintop experience. 

He also reminds us that Jesus "rebuked" the wind (wonderful term) to save the lives of his disciples. During my first visit to Israel nearly 40 years ago I went to the edge of the Sea of Galilee for a few calm moments of contemplation before the hectic activity of the day. Suddenly the wind arose, hurtling across the lake from the Golan Heights, blowing beach chairs hither and yon. It was an unexpected demonstration of the capriciousness of the wind in those parts. Winchester doesn't mention that the Rembrandt painting of this gospel story called Storm on the Sea of Galilee -- his only seascape -- was stolen in 1990 and has yet to be recovered. 

All in all, I'm in awe of this book and all it evokes. I've shared bits of two of my favourite "windy" hymns, one older and one newer. Does Four Strong Winds count as a Canadian anthem? 

Spirit, Spirit of gentleness,

blow thro' the wilderness calling and free,

Spirit, Spirit of restlessness,

stir me from placidness,

Wind, Wind on the sea.

                                       Voices United 703

Four strong winds that blow lonely

Seven seas that run high

All those things that don't change come what may

If the good times are all gond

Then I'm bound for moving on

I'll look for you if I', ever back this way... Ian Tyson