+ I am very moved, for example, by this picture of Egyptian Muslims creating a living wall of protection for their Christian sisters and brothers in Cairo.
Those who have followed the anguish in Egypt beyond the headlines know that once again some in the Brotherhood have been attacking Christians with the hope of further polarizing that wounded society. As one Bishop recently wrote, the Brotherhood have been hiding weapons while fomenting fear and rage against their Christian neighbors. This picture is one sign of those who are spiritually mature - people who know that when one is unsafe then all are unsafe - and are willing to put their faith into living action. To be sure, both sides in the Egyptian struggle have moved beyond any hope of compromise - there is such unbridled hatred and rigidity alive that only a civil war seems likely in the short term - and there will be a great deal more death and destruction before cooler heads and loving hearts prevail. Nevertheless, polarization is not the only truth and when spiritually mature people step into the chaos a measure of light returns to the darkness.
+ Last night we watched Sarah Polley's 2011 film, Take This Waltz, and hoped her point was the rant shouted by Sarah Silverman in the penultimate scene. Fo without this brief interlude, the rest of the movie was a beautiful albeit frustrating and sometimes annoying romp through emotional and spiritual immaturity. No body in this film was interested in growing up - not the men nor women - not the stars nor the incidental players. Only Silverman, still buzzing after falling off the wagon after almost a year of sobriety, has the courage to name Margot's actions as those akin to her own destructive benders: EVERY life has a gap that you need to learn how to life with... cuz just changing partners is not a solution. (Like our AA friends know so well is something they call the geographic solution: wherever you go, you still have to take you with you.) I loved Polley's other two films, her brilliant debut - Away from Her - and the emotionally haunting documentary - Stories We Tell - but this one felt ill formed. Maybe Pollely's point simply gave shape and form to the immaturity that abounds?
Fr. Richard Rohr offers an alternative when he writes:
Pain teaches a most counterintuitive thing—that we must go down before we even know what up is. It is first an ordinary wound before it can become a sacred wound. Suffering of some sort seems to be the only thing strong enough to destabilize our arrogance and our ignorance. I would define suffering very simply as “whenever you are not in control.”
All healthy religion shows you what to do with your pain. If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it. If your religion is not showing you how to transform your pain, it is junk religion. It is no surprise that a crucified man became the central symbol of Christianity. If we cannot find a way to make our wounds into sacred wounds, we invariably become negative or bitter—because we will be wounded. That is a given. All suffering is potentially redemptive, all wounds are potentially sacred wounds. It depends on what you do with them. Can you find God in them or not?
If there isn’t some way to find some deeper meaning to our suffering, to find that God is somehow in it, and can even use it for good, we will normally close up and close down, and the second half of our lives will, quite frankly, be small and silly.
Tonight we're going to be sharing a quiet dinner with two couples from church who have lived through joys and sorrows. They bring joy and hope to the world. They are tender and tough, humorous and humble and a whole lot of fun. They are people of gravitas - spiritual maturity - and I give thanks to God for the blessings they share.
2 comments:
That is a beautiful image and we can hope that those who want peace and justice in Egypt will continue to stand united.
Violence begats more violence, there as everyone else.
Muslim religious conservatives supported the popularly elected Morsi government, which was removed by a military coup, generally supported by the Christian community. When Morsi's supporters took to the streets to protest,the military killed hundreds of them. The rage directed against Christians may be unjustified, but the source of it isn't merely religious hatred or a desire for escalation.
But there will be escalation as violence leads to reprisals and more and more violence.
May the example of those people who are willing to risk their lives to defend the safety of their brothers and sisters, whether they share the same religion or not, inspire others to acts of radical nonviolence. And may it be nonviolence, rather than violence, which escalates.
I agree, my friend, the source is deep and cuts beyond religion. May God's preace prevail sooner rather than later.
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