Meditations on Lent - # 25
For many of us the Christian faith has been about the fear that a big, bad God is going to punish us for all eternity in the fires of hell if we are not saved by literally confessing Jesus as Lord and savior. We were told that we were not saved by good works but were told to go and sin no more. At some level many of us continue to test the God of our understanding. Just this morning I had a text from someone who asks, “If Jesus doesn’t mind asking for his help why doesn’t he come through? I will buy he may not cause suffering but he sure as hell allows a lot of suffering. And he loves me?” Ann Lamott in her wonderful witty but also very human ways prays asking, “Would it be too much skin off your nose to….?”
In our own way many of us continue to test the God of our understanding while hedging our bets and repeating the words of such statements of faith as the Nicene Creed. As we age we question this very limited understanding of God and often test him/her. We cry out, “Where are you? Stop the insanity of war. Stop the suffering of all children but especially little Susie or Johnny.” We rant and cry out. We curse the God who seems to have become a couch potato or, worse, a protector of the greedy and powerful. Even such saints as Mother Theresa had moments of great doubt as she bore witness and ministered to those who had done nothing to earn suffering.
I wrote back to the man who texted me that I did not think that Jesus or God was the problem, nor do I think that we suffer because we do not used the accepted language of those representing organized religion. I do know, of course that often we make very good decisions and we make very unhealthy and even unkind decision. Many people who made very unhealthy decisions are seemingly rewarded and many people who consistently make very healthy and loving decisions experience a lot of hardship and suffering. We understand the cries of Job or the elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son. Life is often unfair and unjust. No one deliberately orders up chronic illness, the birthright of a poor or rich family, or an exceptional talent. Yet, we are expected to live with the cards we are dealt. Some suggest that we always get what we need to grow spiritually. This statement which may or may not be true is of little comfort when we cannot protect our child from either the violence of our home country or the emotional and sometimes physical violence at the United States border. There are no welcome signs at the Southern border – or any other border – of the United States and some other countries. Platitudes or other nice sounding phrases are of no comfort to the parent whose child is snatched from them or who must send the teenage child to take their chances in a strange land which may not accept him or her.
Visions of a kinder afterlife do not provide much solace or feel like a healing ointment to open wounds. What can we say? What comfort can we provide? The father of the prodigal son embraces his youngest, returning son and offers reassurance of love and appreciation to his eldest. Jesus embraces the ones who deny him or the one who betrays him for 30 pieces of silver. He embraces and does not lectures the prostitute. As does the social activist Ruby Sales He asks, “Where does it hurt?” To the man who feels deserted by Christ I listen with love assuring him that the God of my understanding has already promised him that he is worthwhile; that it is safe to trust that he can heal and make a safe home for himself; that he can let go of the abusive messages he has internalized; that we can listen to and love each other just as the God of my understanding listens with great love. Ruby Sales did not erase all the scars of the young, abused woman to whom she addressed the question, “Where does it hurt? She did give her a safe place to tell her story. She did offer a safe embrace. We do not make the world fair. We can offer comfort in the midst of pain and suffering. We do offer the truth that we do not have to believe the lies that we are less then.
Written March 31, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
Coachpickett.org
For many of us the Christian faith has been about the fear that a big, bad God is going to punish us for all eternity in the fires of hell if we are not saved by literally confessing Jesus as Lord and savior. We were told that we were not saved by good works but were told to go and sin no more. At some level many of us continue to test the God of our understanding. Just this morning I had a text from someone who asks, “If Jesus doesn’t mind asking for his help why doesn’t he come through? I will buy he may not cause suffering but he sure as hell allows a lot of suffering. And he loves me?” Ann Lamott in her wonderful witty but also very human ways prays asking, “Would it be too much skin off your nose to….?”
In our own way many of us continue to test the God of our understanding while hedging our bets and repeating the words of such statements of faith as the Nicene Creed. As we age we question this very limited understanding of God and often test him/her. We cry out, “Where are you? Stop the insanity of war. Stop the suffering of all children but especially little Susie or Johnny.” We rant and cry out. We curse the God who seems to have become a couch potato or, worse, a protector of the greedy and powerful. Even such saints as Mother Theresa had moments of great doubt as she bore witness and ministered to those who had done nothing to earn suffering.
I wrote back to the man who texted me that I did not think that Jesus or God was the problem, nor do I think that we suffer because we do not used the accepted language of those representing organized religion. I do know, of course that often we make very good decisions and we make very unhealthy and even unkind decision. Many people who made very unhealthy decisions are seemingly rewarded and many people who consistently make very healthy and loving decisions experience a lot of hardship and suffering. We understand the cries of Job or the elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son. Life is often unfair and unjust. No one deliberately orders up chronic illness, the birthright of a poor or rich family, or an exceptional talent. Yet, we are expected to live with the cards we are dealt. Some suggest that we always get what we need to grow spiritually. This statement which may or may not be true is of little comfort when we cannot protect our child from either the violence of our home country or the emotional and sometimes physical violence at the United States border. There are no welcome signs at the Southern border – or any other border – of the United States and some other countries. Platitudes or other nice sounding phrases are of no comfort to the parent whose child is snatched from them or who must send the teenage child to take their chances in a strange land which may not accept him or her.
Visions of a kinder afterlife do not provide much solace or feel like a healing ointment to open wounds. What can we say? What comfort can we provide? The father of the prodigal son embraces his youngest, returning son and offers reassurance of love and appreciation to his eldest. Jesus embraces the ones who deny him or the one who betrays him for 30 pieces of silver. He embraces and does not lectures the prostitute. As does the social activist Ruby Sales He asks, “Where does it hurt?” To the man who feels deserted by Christ I listen with love assuring him that the God of my understanding has already promised him that he is worthwhile; that it is safe to trust that he can heal and make a safe home for himself; that he can let go of the abusive messages he has internalized; that we can listen to and love each other just as the God of my understanding listens with great love. Ruby Sales did not erase all the scars of the young, abused woman to whom she addressed the question, “Where does it hurt? She did give her a safe place to tell her story. She did offer a safe embrace. We do not make the world fair. We can offer comfort in the midst of pain and suffering. We do offer the truth that we do not have to believe the lies that we are less then.
Written March 31, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
Coachpickett.org
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