A sacrament of suffering
I don’t use the word sacrament lightly. Sacraments speak of the sacred, something holy and precious, and often refer to Christian celebrations of baptism, Eucharist (communion) and marriage. God with us in the sacredness of life.
It seems to me that the world as a whole is in a place of suffering and anguish. This collective travail is unfamiliar to us, and I find myself thinking of those who suffered in the great world wars, those who endured the plagues, what were their lives like?
In our first world culture we are used to easy living, quick fixes, a comfortable life. There is an entitlement mentality that permeates our thinking.
In days of racial tensions and heightened awareness of inequality I am learning to be mindful of how others have suffered. I have experienced life through a privileged lens.
A good example of immense suffering is the black lives, many descendants of slaves. In their captivity they turned to God and we have the amazing legacy of negro spirituals, sung in times of oppression and slavery. They did not know their outcome, their freedom was not hopeful, yet they sang. They sang of hope beyond the grave. They hoped for their children.
The sacred event of birth is another universal example of travail and suffering. The joy that comes with the birth of a child is not without pain.
So do we write and sing songs in this time of not knowing? Do we express our faith in God as we also call out for mercy?
I write this just learning that the seniors community where my dad lives, has been affected by the virus. This is close to my heart, as I also pray daily for all who are suffering.
How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? Psalm 13:1
The idea that God enters our world and is present with us is comforting. I am grateful for the Psalms and other songs of lament that give us language to express our hearts.
I’ll end with the words of this amazing Negro Spiritual, a song to sing and fill us with hope.
We shall overcome, we shall overcome
We shall overcome some day
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall overcome some day
The Lord will see us through, the Lord will see us through
The Lord will see us through some day
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
The Lord will see us some day
We’re on to victory, we’re on to victory
We’re on to victory some day
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
We’re on to victory some day
We’ll walk hand in hand, we’ll walk hand in hand
We’ll walk hand in hand some day
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
We’ll walk hand in hand some day
We are not afraid, we are not afraid
We are not afraid today
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
We are not afraid today
The truth shall make us free, the truth shall make us free
The truth shall make us free some day
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
The truth shall make us free some day
We shall live in peace, we shall live in peace
We shall live in peace some day
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall live in peace some day
-Charles Albert Tindley (1901)
My Peace I give you.
