Sometimes, it seems as though God is far away, and we cry out, "are you listening?... is anybody there?" Events happen that make us feel as though evil is taking over the world, We pray to a Creator whose existence we doubt, knowing that people who seem to be on the side of darkness are also praying. Each side, thinking that the other is the face of evil, fashion God in their own image.
The events of the past week will remain etched in our memories forever. On Tuesday, Georgia's Senate race resulted in the historic election of a black Baptist preacher and a young Jewish man, celebratory events for the cause of civil rights. The following day, we watched in horror as an angry mob descended on our nation's capitol, breaking down fences, scaling walls, shattering windows and doors to gain entry. They violated the "hallowed halls of Congress" with confederate flags, KKK emblems, neo-nazi slogans and symbols of hate as they trashed offices and smeared feces throughout the building. They carried nooses, chanting about hanging the vice president for treason and carried zip-ties, with the apparent intention of taking members of Congress hostage. Thankfully, they did not succeed, but such raw anger and shocking violence is beyond the comprehension of most of us.
"Is anybody there?", "are you listening?, I ask again. So much difficulty, so much pain, so much loss...life can seem unbearable sometimes, as if the light goes out of everything and God is silent.
I don't understand the mystery of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, any of it, or why people's experiences of the Divine can be so different. I only know that when I ask, at these darkest moments, I am given. When I am empty, I feel the rushing warmth of His Presence and am filled with the Spirit. He is here with me, in the midst of it, providing light and comfort and that is enough for today.
This is really all we have been promised....strength, peace and comfort in the face of the world's evil.
We are not given more suffering than we can bear and we are given strength for the present moment.
Breathe deeply and give thanks for Light in the midst of darkness, hope in the midst of despair,
courage in the midst of fear, and love in the midst of hatred...
Well said, Patti. The events of this past week have astounded and saddened us all. To see the hate and anger of the far right played out right in our own Capitol is shocking. They have been encouraged enough to come out of their dark lairs, but I keep reminding myself that they are not even close to being the Majority, and things will eventually become stable. God help us!
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