Author: Fr. Bob Rhoads CFC

No matter which gospel you read, who discovers or witnesses the empty tomb, or which of Jesus’ followers encounters the the risen lord, their one consistent experience is one of surprise. Despite everything that he said and taught them, none expected the resurrection . Their focus was still on grief, loss, mourning, and the trauma of suffering they had witnessed.

All that changes when Jesus’ followers discover a new reality. Jesus is not where they expect him to be. He appears to them in a variety of forms; a gardener, a stranger walking on the road, suddenly appearing as they gather in fear, making breakfast while they fish. None of which they anticipated.

Likewise, we live in a world that is mired in injustice and inhumanity. Where grief, catastrophic suffering, and cruelty are a part of the human experience; where the innocent suffer and the powerful abuse. Jesus’ trial and crucifixion are ancient examples of this larger, pervasive and infuriating disfunction.

So, where is God in the midst of all this? Where is the triumph of love over hate? Of grace over evil? Of peace over war?

How can we have the audacity to proclaim the resurrection in the midst of such evil and suffering?

Like those first disciples, we can find ourselves overwhelmed in spite of small triumphs in remarkable acts of human kindness and courage. There are glimmers of light that come through in heroic acts of selflessness and compassion in even the darkest moments. They remind us that love can break through any barrier and that God has not abandoned his suffering children.

Perhaps some further understanding can be found imbedded in the concept of surprise; the experience of the unexpected. There is more to our existence than this life and this world. All this is transitory. We pass through this life as part of a much larger, eternal journey. The resurrection is a portal that changes our perspective, just as it transformed the lives of the first disciples. Our world is not all there is. True reality goes beyond here and now; beyond our expectations.

What awaits us is the ultimate surprise. Shrouded in mystery like the resurrection, with few specifics and details, it alludes description and evades comparison. Yet it is enough to know that it is the triumph of divine love, that we are embraced by a God whose love for us is everlasting and who is always working to bring life out of death.

I just finished a fascinating article about takeout restaurants that have no seating, rent less space, and either deliver or have pick up only.

This isn’t exactly a new concept. Pizza restaurants like Dominos and Papa Murphy’s have done that for years. When I was a kid, there was a restaurant in San Mateo, Cathay Kitchen, that served Chinese food for take out only at a time when when driving up, finding a space big enough, and parking that ‘’59 Oldsmobile wasn’t so easy.

What’s happening now however, is that that this concept has been greatly expanded and extended to other businesses. We are now doing the jobs that at one time belonged to someone else.

When I drive up to the bank I use the magic money machine, not a teller. In fact, most of the time I don’t even drive to the bank, I just use the computer and do my banking from home

I go to the store and I check myself out. No help required ……unless I screw something up (which does happen regularly, cause I’m kind of old). I handle the transaction all by myself with my cards. The person who was the grocery checker is now my supervisor.

When I walk out with my groceries I stroll away with a sense of achievement and self satisfaction…..kind of like when I finish a do-it -yourself project in the garage

When I get takeout food, I become the server. I buss the tables. I do the dishes. All of those jobs are now gone. The only thing I don’t do…..is tip myself.

And….. when I order takeout from the restaurant, there’s no price reduction. When I check my self out at the grocery store, I pay the same price as when I use the checkout clerk and bag person.

As far as these businesses are concerned….not only do I work for free but they make the profit off my labor. I do it all without complaint and usually with a smile.

As with any successful plan, this model is expanding. Lately, I’ve noticed an increase in services that provide dinners for me to cook at home (some assembly required). So now, I am the chef as well. I pay the overhead for the kitchen. I pay the cost for the utilities, all the equipment, pots and pans, and cleaning costs.

Now there’s a great business model……get the customer to work for you, and charge them for the privilege.

All I get is the satisfaction of a job well done……because I’m such a great worker.

The question is ……..which business is next? And what’s my next job?

Now that I have been retired for several years I am beginning to gain insights on how to survive in the pews…..

I have yet to meet anyone who says that hymns are their favorite form of music. In fact, it’s just the opposite. I suspect that for most, the Sunday regimen of hymns from centuries past is met with a benign resignation….

So… I have my own methodology for the Sunday selections.

First, I discern whether the hymn is Catholic or Protestant in character. Ok, this is purely subjective and wholly unscientific but…having superficially deduced the distinction……

If it is Catholic, I sing it with an Irish accent.

If it is Protestant, then I deploy a Scottish brogue.

If it is low church evangelical, then it calls for a southern country western twang……

If I don’t like the hymn at all, then I deem it unworthy of the effort and just mumble through the words.

And, if it is really sucky, or really un-singable,…..I simply stand in inscrutable silence.

So, if you are standing near me…..now you know my hymn code and, as an added benefit you get to discern my interpretation.

In all cases I pray for the mercy of God and that we won’t have to sing EVERY SINGLE VERSE…..

And, if all else fails… remember the immortal works of The Rt. Rev. James Pike, sometime Bishop of California, who when asked about the antiquated theology of the hymnal was purported to have said:

“WELL, IF YOU SING IT….YOU DON’T HAVE TO BELIEVE IT”

(or something like that)

At least my approach adds to the entertainment value of the service and helps me keep awake for the undisputed highlight of the Mass….. ……THE SUNDAY COLLECTION AND SOLEMN ELEVATION OF THE CASH………

AMEN.

Church goers, particularly clergy and congregational leaders, are eagerly awaiting a return to “normal” life when we are no longer subject to the consequences and impacts of a relentless and devastating pandemic. As people of faith, we call upon past images of freedom from slavery in Egypt, the return from Babylonian exile, the raising of Lazarus, or the Resurrection as familiar and reassuring visions of transformation to a new life. They are all hopeful and optimistic. They are part of a collective story that we hold deep in our hearts. No matter what our circumstances, they have taught us to be fundamentally, even radically, optimistic .

To quote Hebrew Scripture “then were we like those who dream…..”

Yet, with all this in mind, we also recognize that this season of isolation, uncertainty, and loss, with all its trials and tribulations, will result in change. As with any crisis, it will have a lasting impact both individually and corporately.

Let me start by saying that the concept of “returning” after a crisis is itself an illusion. Recovery, not return, is what happens after a disaster, and this will be no different. We will need to adapt to a new reality and frankly, adaptability has never been our strong suit.

So, here are three of my predictions.

First, the church will be smaller.

In person worship will be an incremental process. While the doors closed quickly, people will return to the pews only when they feel safe and comfortable. For some, this will be immediate, while for others it will take time and there will be those who choose not to return at all. After over a year of online church, people have acclimated to church at home and will expect some form of this ministry to continue, particularly for those who are home bound. The die hard members will return “shouldering their sheves “, but for the less committed it can be a different story.

So, I believe that the church will be smaller. Membership and church attendance will be lower, and that has a profound impact. Liturgy is different. Worship with 250 people is not the same as with 50. You cannot design a service in the same way. Income goes down. People notice when others are missing and in some way they feel loss and grief. When someone is absent from their normal seat, we feel, see, and hear the difference. It is both palpable and inescapable.

Second, pastoral care (or more specifically, it’s absence) matters. We look to Priests and Deacons for collective as well as personal spiritual guidance. When the crisis is over people will remember if their clergy were either proactive, responsive, or barely visible. Did they offer daily worship and model a life of prayer? Did they speak to the issues, concerns and anxieties, both verbally and in writing? Did they reach out with personal contact to check on parishioners? Did they create opportunities for meaningful interaction and connection with and between parishioners? Was church merely a Sunday thing?

Where were they when I lost my job, or couldn’t pay rent and needed food? When I was sick or alone or grieving the death of a loved one, what kind of support did they provide?

When all is said and done, people will remember whether the Ordained, and in particular the Rector, made any real difference as they suffered through a crisis. Will they look back in gratitude and thankfulness or will they feel yet another absence?

This can have a lasting impact not only upon pastoral relationships but upon people’s trust and confidence in their church.

Third, the cultural, demographic, and social changes brought about by this crisis will challenge the church as we move forward. Here, the prophecy becomes more clouded. We know that some trends are emerging or gaining momentum. It is likely that urban demographics will change. We already know that many are relocating, if they can, to smaller cities and communities. For a church tied to formidable real estate and aging buildings, this exacerbates an existing problem. How do you respond when the building designed for several hundred becomes a cavernous albatross?

In a culture where church is increasingly irrelevant, we can expect increasing numbers of people who profess no particular faith or affiliation and are securely and comfortably non religious.

I believe the principal question that is emerging from this time, both politically and socially is one of trust. Where do we place our trust? In science? Our leaders? Our sources of information? Experts? Academics?

It is how we answer the question of trust that is creating an unprecedented divide in our country. It is why there are mutually exclusive versions of what is real or un-real, it is what feeds conspiracy theories and radical domestic terrorism. It determines who we listen to, our world view, and how we vote. It also prohibits public discourse and genuine debate.

Reminding me of God’s love is a great start but I need to go deeper than “Jesus loves me this I know”……

“Wisdom is the acquisition of understanding predicated on an accumulation of failures”

Bob Rhoads (in my later years)

Now that we have so much more time at home, and particularly in our houses, like me, you have probably begun to look more critically at your living space and in so doing, I have begun to put some observations into clearer perspective.

In and around where I live in western Washington there are at least two large and expensive commercial construction projects within 15 mikes of my home. Both are self storage facilities. They are located next to Highway 101 and are very visible from the roadway. So we have high cost real estate being developed into high cost commercial construction to provide people a place to store things at a high cost. Some one is risking a lot of money because they believe that we will have too much stuff for the size of our homes and garages; even the Garage-mahals.

As I look around my house a critical question has emerged; Has my home in fact become a storage unit for stuff I don’t need, use, or even really notice?

I have books that I haven’t opened in decades (not just years). We have a small curio cabinet that I never look into (offhand, I couldn’t even tell you what is in there), awards certificates, proclamations, and acclamations that are’t impressing anyone, a whole host of things from past hobbies, tools that haven’t been touched; the list goes on and on as you can imagine (not to mention what is lurking in the closets, drawers and cabinets). All stuff that, if I am completely and brutally honest, I no longer need and will never use. The vast majority of which will be left to the kids as a daunting albatross of things they will need to dispose of in the midst of grief. Things that will only intensify their sense of loss and suffering and take up a lot of time, energy and money in the process, leaving a lingering sense of guilt over discarding what we have left behind and was presumably important to us.

I have kept much of my stuff as a kind of shrine to the past, and, in answering my earlier question, my home has become a storage unit.

It’s time to question and rethink.

Why has this happened? Has my ego and need for self affirmation, worth and value overwhelmed my judgement?

Ultimately, as with so many issues in life, our actions (or lack of them) reflect something much deeper.

The problem I see is the result of a problem that I have.

It is not these things that are the real issue, they are a symptom. The real issue is where I find self worth, identity, and fulfillment. Those are very much spiritual issues.

You would think that after 41 years as a Priest, and particularly as a Franciscan, that I would have figured this out and known better, but you would be wrong.

The erroneous belief and fundamental lie of my culture is that things are always a solution rather than a problem, yet experience teaches us that our things own us as much as we own them.

The bedrock truth of the Christian faith is that we are loved, valued, and cherished not just by others, but by God. This is not because of our abilities, our history, our church, our beliefs, our talents, or what we think we have accomplished, but simply because God is who He is and because we are; we exist. It cannot be changed. Or abridged. Or altered. Or conditioned. Or negated. Sacred writing bears witness to it, life experience confirms it, the deepest recesses of the human spirit know it. This is the un-negotiated Covenant of human existence.

So get over yourself…..it’s all about God.

It is so simple yet so difficult to really and truly accept. Believing in that love, and particularly trusting in it, is a lifelong journey. For each of us there are many twists and turns. Navigating this path is the real challenge and essence of what we call discipleship.

Simplifying my life and my space begins with simplifying my relationship with God. Believing in that love, trusting in that love, accepting, that love, celebrating that love.

For me, it’s time to hit the trail……..again…….for the ump-ti-umph time……to get off my spiritual butt, follow the light and correct course.

It time to clean house; both the one inside…….and the one on Independence Drive.

Nothing can bring back a memory quite like a particular smell. We’ve all had the experience of a powerful experience recalled by encountering an aroma. Suddenly we are transported back to a different time and place. I’m told that this is, at least in part, because the area of the brain that processes what we smell is close the the area that holds our memories. So there’s truth in the old saying “ the nose knows”

You probably have some smells that remind you of Easter. Perhaps the perfume your mother wore on special occasions to go with the Easter Sunday ensemble, or maybe the smell of the dye we used to color Easter eggs, or the smell of Easter lilies combined with fresh bee’s wax candles, or the incense used at Mass.

For me, it is the smell of Greek lamb. For years we roasted a whole lamb over charcoal outside on a spit. The cooking started in the morning and by late afternoon the feast would begin. The lamb was selected and butchered on Good Friday (there’s something Biblical about that). On Holy Saturday, the men gathered to season, prepare the lamb, and fasten it to a long pole for roasting on a spit near the ground. Cloves of garlic were inserted into the meat, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper were added and the lamb was placed in an air conditioned room set to keep it cool until Easter Sunday.

For hours the slow turning lamb was carefully tended according a time honored culinary choreography. The air was filled with the heady aroma of an open grill. A small but dedicated ensemble would gather. The charcoal was arranged and then rearranged and then rearranged (usually by several different people), while other sidewalk supervisors provided their guidance. The lamb was constantly basted in more olive oil, lemon and spices. Every so often, when deemed necessary, the spit was stopped and adjustments made. Various lamb experts took turns handling the shovel to add more charcoal. The weather was monitored for potential variants like wind, clouds, or (God forbid) rain. The entire enterprise was fretted over with meticulous devotion.

Eventually the taste testing began. Little slices were carved off with a pocket knife, passed around by hand and evaluated by experts and novices alike; eventually, the feast was proclaimed as ready. It was joined by traditional Greek and American delicacies and side dishes….. but it was this carefully crafted barbecue that was the center of attention. It wouldn’t be Paska without the lamb…

However……Easter Sunday in western Washington is rarely conducive to this kind of undertaking from more southern latitudes. You need predictable temps above 60 degrees with very little wind and no rain insure a good outcome for things to turn out well. Instead, I have tried to make due with a leg of lamb in the Weber barbecue….it’s good but not exactly the same. Especially this year when we are separated and keeping our distance, things are different.

So…on Holy Saturday I will take the lamb chop I bought from Safeway, place it in a zip lock bag, add minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, coarse ground pepper, salt and set it to marinate before I crank up the grill for our Easter dinner.

But…….just before it goes on the barbecue………I’ll open that little bag, take a deep breath to inhale the bouquet and…..it WILL be Easter again……

God bless you all.

CHRISTOS ANESTE…….ALETHOS ANESTE!

In my last post I wrote that transformation which is authentic and genuine must be more than a spiritual awakening. If it has any integrity it must lead to action. In this and the following posts, I’d like to explore those ideas further and build upon them.

To be a Christian, in the most basic sense, is to follow Jesus, not just as a student (or disciple), but as one who takes up Jesus’ work. This why the Christian community is referred to as the “Body of Christ” and not merely an assembly of believers. Simply put, we look to what we know about Jesus work and then try to do the same in our own lives, in our own way, and in our own time.

This last part is critical. Let me be clear; we are not Jesus. When I look in the mirror, it is not the face of God I see. It is just me; hairy little biped, living on a small blue planet in a vast universe. Yet, like all the other 7.5+ billion humans now on earth, the billions that have gone before, as well as those who will come after, I am mysteriously made in the image of God. I am capable therefore not only of relationship with the Divine One but also of cooperation with the Creator of all things. Because of this, it is possible for each of us to be a “conduit of divine grace”. The most profound and holy sacrament is our capacity to love one another. It is the true outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace.

So, having now just about exhausted my ability for theological reflection……let me turn to the most important question “So what?” What does this mean for me and my life?

Following Jesus is not rocket science. Look at what he did….and do that. This was the insight of simple saints like Francis of Assisi, and the inspiration of and gifted and brilliant authors like Thomas a Kempis. This is the fruit of transformation.

When you look at Jesus’ life as reflected in the Gospels, it becomes evident that healing was a major priority. Each of them are filled with stories of his care for the infirm, the sick, the disabled, the mentally ill, the old, the young, male, female, Jew, gentile; they were all healed. At one point over 5,000 people follow him into a wilderness, forgetting their lunches, because they are desperate for this experience. Living in a world devoid of reliable medical care, it’s easy to understand why. If nothing else, the current pandemic, in which we are facing a disease that has already proven to be all too deadly, and for which there is currently no prevention or cure, enables us to empathize with them in a new way.

One important facet of the Gospel witness is the mechanism by which healing takes place. It is by proclamation rather than intercession. Jesus pronounces healing. At the same time, each situation is unique. He uses water, mud, the faith of the needy, physical touch and his voice among other means to achieve a singular objective.

The book of Acts builds upon this ministry as the first generation of Christians set about doing God’s work in new places. Here as well, we find an abundance of healing experiences. Clearly, they understood the significance of healing as a preeminent part of the young Christian enterprise.

Whenever and however healing happens it is a collaboration with God.

I believe in the power of prayer. I have seen intercession bring healing. I have been blessed by the countless prayers of others. I know by my own experience that they make a difference. I also believe in the efficacy of science and human endeavor as a gift from God. The two are not mutually exclusive; they are intertwined and inexorable.

We all know that medical resources and intervention over the decades have transformed the experience of human healing and we are the grateful recipients of that progress. By the time you reach retirement age there is an overwhelming probability that you are alive because of modern medical intervention. At the very least, medical achievements have given us a remarkable quality of life that previous generations could hardly imagine.

Yet, we live in a nation in which this care is a privilege based upon income rather than a right based upon compassion. Instead of a health care system that provides healing for all, as Jesus example illustrates, we have an insurance scheme that is a national disgrace. Pharmaceutical corporations have become notorious for the exorbitant cost of medications that public research money helped to create. Expensive, inefficient, and unjust, this system prioritizes the solvency of institutions over the health of individuals.

If we are not horrified and infuriated by this callous and evil disregard for the care and health of the most vulnerable and discounted among us then, clearly, we are not paying attention. We are at our best as followers of Jesus when we become a voice for the voiceless, the marginalized, and disregarded.

In light of the trillions of dollars this pandemic is costing in economic devastation, the fear of prolonged unemployment, and the loss of self sufficiency, the incompetence and invincible ignorance of the President and his minions have greatly exacerbated an entirely predictable crisis which the scientific community has been warning us about for years. To those who ask “How can we afford to provide universal healthcare?”, I would answer “ How can we afford not to?”

The cost of folly always exceeds that of wisdom.

When we have the means to bring healing medical care to every man, woman, and child in America and yet steadfastly refuse to do it, when greed is allowed to trump care, I can only conclude that we are perpetuating a contemptible public sin.

We have yet to embrace a fundamental truth. “We are not well until we are all well”

Let me repeat that…”We are not well ……until we are all well”

If this pandemic is teaching us anything, it is this (to paraphrase John Donne); no one is an island…we are all part of the main. I cannot afford to ignore my brother or sister’s infirmity. Their suffering is my suffering. Their pain is ours. I am invested in their health; this is not optional.

”We are not well until we are all well”

So, what would Jesus do? He would fight for the infirm. He would insist upon the value of every person. He would, by any and all means bring healing to all, just as he did when he walked among us.

“We are not well until we are all well!”

There comes a time when we need to get off our knees and onto our feet. If this time of testing does not lead to the transformation of healthcare in America then we have failed in our responsibility to one another and to our children. Now is the time to demand change in the name of fundamental decency and justice, and in the name of God. Now is the time for courage in the face of conflict. No more excuses. Now is the time for the sleeping giant to awake.

Write it upon your heart;

“We are not well until we are all well“

Proclaim it;

“We are not well until we are all well”

Fight for it;

“We are not well until we are all well”

It’s what Jesus would do……..

I ended my last post with the statement that “We will eventually emerge from this time and find that we are different people.”

In this blog, I’d like to pick up on that thought.

If vulnerability leads to a new openness and ultimately to transformation, what does that look like?

Let me start by addressing what I believe it is not. If it is genuine, if it is truly authentic, if it has any integrity at all, Christian transformation is not just a spiritual awakening.

It begins that way, but only as a means to an end. Birth, including the rebirth that Jesus talked about and St. Paul wrote about, is by definition a transitory experience. I was born on October 13, 1953. That is the date when my life in the outside world began (thanks, mom!). Birth always leads to something else.

Still, it is essential to transformation. If my vulnerability during this time of testing leads to a deeper interaction with God then this can become much more than a time of trial. In fact, this could be a defining moment in our relationship. Maybe not like “I was blind and now I see”, but more like “I have glasses, and I can see more clearly”. The blurry becomes focused.

With transformation comes energy. Think back to the most spiritually powerful experiences in your life. They were exciting moments. Some may have been overtly religious; a retreat, a Cursillo, a conference, prayers for healing, confirmation, a wedding or baptism. Others may have happened in solitude or surrounded by the indescribable wonder of nature. They may have emerged quietly over time or suddenly as a surprise, but deep inside, in the part that we know as the essence of who we are, in that inner spirit, something undeniable happened. A fire was lit, light emerged…you knew that you were not alone…in some unexplainable way there was God….and you were different.

The privilege of being a Priest and pastor is the opportunity to see this awakening in others and in some small way, to share in their experience. When that happens, it makes all the administration, Vestry meetings and Diocesan Conventions , setting up chairs and wrestling with Sunday bulletins worth it! This is what animates and gives vitality to a spiritual community. Without it, we are simply “going through the motions”. It is what brings tears to your eyes when you sing to God. It is why you are so happy when someone joins the church or is baptized or Confirmed. It is why we have this weird thing we call Sermons week after week….maybe, just maybe…we’ll say something that will open the door, start a fire, turn on a light…..

So……dream with me for a moment. Imagine what it could be like if God redeemed this time, this experience, this isolation …….and it became an awakening, not in general, but for you. Now that the calendar is empty, the pace of life has slowed, and the tyranny of obligations is removed, when what we know as “churchiness” is banished, in the midst of stillness and isolation, in keeping our own company, and alone with God; What if we took the road less traveled? What if we made an intentional choice to open our emptiness to the fullness of God?

We would be like sleepers who awoke from a dream. A new people with a renewed passion. New values, new priorities, a new purpose await. Love is fresh again. We embrace life with spectacular thanksgiving. We cry easily, we laugh abundantly, we love without reservation. We rise each morning anticipating a new surprise from God. This is authentic transformation. I am closer to becoming the person my dog thinks that I am; more compassionate, more loving, less self preoccupied, a better human being with new devotion to God and those around me. Other people, both friend and stranger, become precious. I see the image of God where I was once clueless. I am more open, embrace differences as I learn from them and long for more opportunities to love and be loved. No one is a stranger. There are no aliens. I am an ambassador for change.

But this is just the beginning. Transformation, as I said earlier is empty, meaningless , and self serving unless it compels us to do something else…to live our lives in a new way; to embrace without reservation the most radical part of Christian discipleship; to follow Jesus in actions and not just words. To take up His ministry in our world.

Imagine what that would look like….

More to follow…..

Each day we are increasingly aware of just how deeply the current pandemic is, and will continue to, affect our lives as individuals and a society. Both the breadth and depth of it’s impacts are slowly becoming known as we struggle to adapt to a rapidly changing reality. It is more and more evident that this will be a long term, rather than an a short term, event.

On every level, both corporately (from medical to economic to social) as well as personal (from psychological to emotional to spiritual), CORVID-19 is a unfolding crisis like we have never known.

Each succeeding generation must face it’s own tests; my grandparents had theirs, my parents were part of the “greatest generation”. This is ours.

Make no mistake, faith, including our most cherished beliefs and our spiritual communities, face a time of unprecedented challenge.

It is one thing to trust in God during a time of prosperity, when we feel secure, comfortable, and satisfied with life. It is quite another to believe when we are insecure, threatened, and fearful.

I thought perhaps that it might be helpful to share some thoughts with you during this time, and I hope that this may be of some small benefit. At least they will allow me to clarify my own thinking by committing them to writing.

So, please allow me to dive into the deep end of the pool……by starting with my most deeply held beliefs about God.

I do not believe that God is in charge of all things….at least not in the way that our attachment to the titles we use for God would imply.

We live in a universe and in a world where stuff happens. Sometimes, suffering is perpetrated by human beings, many times it is not. Crises and disasters, whether they affect us individually, regionally, or globally are not an “Act of God”. They just happen. They are an act of physics, weather, geology, or biology. They are completely amoral. They are indiscriminate. As human beings, we all must come to terms with the insecurity, unpredictability, and fear that come with life, it’s glaring imperfections and it’s relentless tragedies. This is one of life’s greatest challenges and it is not easy nor simple.

To believe that God will insulate us from harm is to discount and deny the witness of both the Jewish and Christian scriptures found throughout the Bible and the experience of countless others throughout history. The story of the Jews is filled with suffering, calamity, and hardship. To be the chosen people of God clearly did not mean the absence of suffering. It meant something quite different. It is no accident that the most profound and enduring prophetic writing was done during the times of greatest difficulties.

Likewise, the Christian scriptures, including both the words and experience of Jesus, are replete with examples of life in a capricious world. In fact, to profess the Christian Faith is to hold the suffering and death of Jesus “deep in our hearts”.

What we can rediscover in times of testing is that we are not alone. God is with us. While those may sound like superficial platitudes, in fact, they are consistent and profound statements reiterated throughout the Bible. God is most deeply and acutely present when we are the most vulnerable.

When the future seems so uncertain, when suffering on many levels is so apparent, when so much that threatens us is beyond out control….our belief that in spite of isolation, God is with us, that He shares the experience, (including the grief and loss), makes a huge difference.

This is the time when our relationship with God can be the most intense and profound. This can be a time of the most powerful and lasting spiritual transformations. When pride, self satisfaction, arrogance, and complacency are stripped away, when they are replaced by humility, dependence, openness, and vulnerability, both our hearts and our spirits are opened in a new way.

We will eventually emerge from this time and find that we are different people. The question is “What will this change look like?” Will we be bitter, lost in grief for what “used to be”, angry and even more fearful; or will we have the wisdom and grace to allow God to work is us in a new way.

Is it possible that this could be a spiritual expedition……..

“For God alone my soul in stillness waits……”

“A broken and contrite heart O God, thou will not despise…”

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…God is with me”….you know the rest….

More to follow….