Right now I’m trying to take in psychologically, spiritually, and personally, what is God trying to say? When I use that phrase, I’m not saying that God causes suffering to teach us good things. But God does use everything, and if God wanted us to experience global solidarity, I can’t think of a better way. We all have access to this suffering, and it bypasses race, gender, religion, and nation. We are in the midst of a highly teachable moment. There’s no doubt that this period will be referred to for the rest of our lifetimes. We have a chance to go deep, and to go broad. Globally, we’re in this together. Depth is being forced on us by great suffering, which as I like to say, always leads to great love.
Each of us is suffering, at least a little. Everyone is suffering the disruption of a life we have taken for granted; many people are suffering self-imposed isolation; many others are suffering the loss of income, and some are suffering the anxiety of not having adequate funds to ride out this crisis. Some have already contracted the virus and are ill with it, and some few have already lost people they love. Of course, some have died, but it has been rightly said that, in this life, though we experience dying and the anguish and suffering that entails, we do not experience our own death, that is something that only those whom we leave behind experience.
Rohr is right “depth” is being forced on us by great suffering.” Many of us have “ourself on our hands” for the first time in a long time. We are being forced to consider our lives in light of the life of depth and breadth that God has always intended for us, as seen in the life of Jesus.
The Pandemic is terrible. I wish it had never happened. I refuse to believe God caused it. I continue to believe that some things “just happen.” I also continue to believe that we are indeed “in the midst of a very teachable moment,” as individuals, as a church, as a nation, and as a world.
“What is God trying to say?” Well put, Fr. Rohr. That is the question. If we can answer it, we can find a way forward that enhances all of life in this world, whether as individuals, as a church, as a nation, and as a world
The Pastor
I also receive Fr. Rohr’s meditations, and this one from last week was especially meaningful to me for such a time as this. Hope the link works.
https://cac.org/summary-and-lamentation-practice-for-a-time-of-crisis-2020-03-21/