“And awe came upon everyone”
Father Gregory Boyle in his most recent book Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship quotes this line from the Acts of the Apostles 2:43: (p 51) another translation of verses 42 and 43 states:
“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.”
And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common and they began selling their property and possession and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.”
Father Gregory is reading this book from the New Testament as a guide to measuring the health of a community. He says after quoting “And awe came upon everyone,” “It would seem quite possibly, the ultimate measure of health in any community might well reside in our ability to stand in awe at what folks have to carry rather than in judgment at how they carry it.”
This morning I was with a group of men and women who are courageously exploring a life of recovery. Living with active addiction leaves a trail of pain within and without. Often addiction begins while running from pain that seemed too much to bear. Recovery demands that one face the pain head on. This is often overwhelming and frightening. I am not surprised that many of us humans have build shields of iron in an attempt to protect from further pain. Yet, I am often in awe of the tenderness of heart which they exhibit towards one another. Accepting this tenderness of heart for themselves might be more frightening. After all, when one has held on to enough pain to fill a dozen twelve foot individuals, it can seem as if letting go of the pain that has been crammed into this one individual will leave an empty shell. It is as if l one is all pain. And yet…. And yet, there is great tenderness still forming the core of the heart of these men and women.
I want to invite one of the 6’2” men to come sit in my lap while I cradle him in my arms. I want him to be able in the words of Louise Hay to hold himself in the cradle of loving kindness. I am in awe. Tears of gratitude for this man and his tender courage fill my eyes.
I think of Senator Roy Moore who must be carrying around a lot of fear and pain, which he covers with his righteous denials. I am in awe of the ability to carry that pain. If he walked into my home and office and asked to share that pain, I would welcome him onto my lap and gently rock him in the cradle of loving-kindness. Yet, he is not likely to do that. The righteous shields will continue to damage all who come into contact with him. For that reason he should not be given the burden of leadership. His leadership will emanate from the shield and thus continue to harm. Yet, he is not his shield.
I wonder what it would be like if I could allow myself to see beyond the manner in which others carry their pain and just focus on the pain that they are carrying. What would it be like to borrow the current mantra of Father Boyle: “Resting in you. Resting in me.”
Written November 16, 2017
Father Gregory Boyle in his most recent book Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship quotes this line from the Acts of the Apostles 2:43: (p 51) another translation of verses 42 and 43 states:
“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.”
And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common and they began selling their property and possession and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.”
Father Gregory is reading this book from the New Testament as a guide to measuring the health of a community. He says after quoting “And awe came upon everyone,” “It would seem quite possibly, the ultimate measure of health in any community might well reside in our ability to stand in awe at what folks have to carry rather than in judgment at how they carry it.”
This morning I was with a group of men and women who are courageously exploring a life of recovery. Living with active addiction leaves a trail of pain within and without. Often addiction begins while running from pain that seemed too much to bear. Recovery demands that one face the pain head on. This is often overwhelming and frightening. I am not surprised that many of us humans have build shields of iron in an attempt to protect from further pain. Yet, I am often in awe of the tenderness of heart which they exhibit towards one another. Accepting this tenderness of heart for themselves might be more frightening. After all, when one has held on to enough pain to fill a dozen twelve foot individuals, it can seem as if letting go of the pain that has been crammed into this one individual will leave an empty shell. It is as if l one is all pain. And yet…. And yet, there is great tenderness still forming the core of the heart of these men and women.
I want to invite one of the 6’2” men to come sit in my lap while I cradle him in my arms. I want him to be able in the words of Louise Hay to hold himself in the cradle of loving kindness. I am in awe. Tears of gratitude for this man and his tender courage fill my eyes.
I think of Senator Roy Moore who must be carrying around a lot of fear and pain, which he covers with his righteous denials. I am in awe of the ability to carry that pain. If he walked into my home and office and asked to share that pain, I would welcome him onto my lap and gently rock him in the cradle of loving-kindness. Yet, he is not likely to do that. The righteous shields will continue to damage all who come into contact with him. For that reason he should not be given the burden of leadership. His leadership will emanate from the shield and thus continue to harm. Yet, he is not his shield.
I wonder what it would be like if I could allow myself to see beyond the manner in which others carry their pain and just focus on the pain that they are carrying. What would it be like to borrow the current mantra of Father Boyle: “Resting in you. Resting in me.”
Written November 16, 2017
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