|
A Few Words from Pastor Bryan
…and Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
A friend sent me this poem by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer recently. I’m going to invite you to read it and then my “few words” for this week will follow.
What I Know of Love When Times Are Dark
By Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
And if you can’t find a candle,
Then light the wick of your wonder.
And if you can’t find your wonder,
Then now might be a good time
to pray. And if you don’t
know how to pray
then perhaps you are doing it right.
What do I know of prayer?
Only that every prayer that has saved me
is a prayer that has found me
instead of the other way round—
a prayer that comes through me,
as if I am nothing more
than flesh in service to a prayer.
And if there is a candle, then light it.
And if there is a candle, ask it
to be your teacher. And if there is
a candle, notice how far its light
can reach. See if you, too, can touch
the world as generously as a candle,
just that far, holding back not even
the tiniest measure of love.
There are several lines and images from this poem that speak to me. The whole metaphor of the candle and light reminded me of John 1:5, which says, speaking of Christ (or the Logos or Word) coming to earth;
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will not overtake it.”
I also thought of Matthew 5:14, where Jesus says to the disciples (and therefore to all of us);
“You are the light of the world.”
I really do think our deepest and most powerful calling is to “Be Light” in this world. As Anne Lamotte once wrote, “Lighthouses don’t need to run around looking for someone to shine on. They just shine. That’s their job. The Light does the work.”
This poem also made me think about the saying (I don’t know the source), “I’d rather light a candle than curse the darkness.” I love that as well and it feels deeply important at this moment in history. I want to put my energy into lighting candles and not just shouting at all that’s dark or wrong. As Richard Rohr often says, “the best critique of the bad is the practice of the better.” Yes to all of that. That’s how and where I want to offer and invest and spend my time and energy. Tomorrow when I participate in the rally at the Capital Building in Madison, I will be there as one who is trying to be and share God’s healing Light and Love. I won’t be shouting at the problems as I perceive them. My energy is not going to be “oppositional.” Instead, I’ll be standing FOR the Love that will lead the way to just and compassionate solutions and to building bridges of understanding and healing wherever possible.
Jesus was never interested in simply deepening divisions or polarities. As his follower, I’m not either. That being said, there is a time for Love to be willing to “get in the way”—to step in between forces that are deliberately trying to harm or disregard the dignity of others and those who may be harmed, and to prevent that devastation from continuing. There are times when those doing harm to others must be stopped as quickly as possible. One interpretation of the cross of Jesus that means a lot to me is to see it as Jesus saying, in essence, “If you want to deliberately harm or disregard the image of God in anyone—then you have to go through me.” And they did of course. Those who “get in the way” should never do so naively. There could very well be a painful price to pay. I don’t romanticize any of that. All I know is that if and when I am ever called to “get in the way”-- I will do so non-violently and with as much kindness and respect for those I am trying to stop as possible.
But the line that really grabbed me was this one;
And if you don’t
know how to pray
then perhaps you are doing it right.
I love this. This opens up the humility that is needed to bring our mercy and justice (Micah 6:8) together in creative and life-giving ways. And I don’t think any of us know exactly how to do that, or even what it looks like. At this point I’m most uneasy around anyone who is too sure they know exactly what is needed right now.
What do I know of prayer?
Only that every prayer that has saved me
is a prayer that has found me
instead of the other way round—
This also rings true to me. As I’ve said many times in church, and often in one of my Pastoral Prayers, “God, we don’t really know how prayer works. But we believe that when we unite our intentions and energy and focus on behalf of the wellbeing of others and in the Name of Divine healing and truth and love, that something powerful happens.” I don’t really understand how that works. But I am willing to risk placing everything—my own wellbeing and security and the welfare of the world itself--in God’s hands and to trust God with all of it.
Has a prayer ever found you? Can you relate to that line? I can. There’ve been times when the best thing I could do in prayer was to get out of the way. When that happens to me my prayer might be something like this; “God, I haven’t got a clue now. I don’t know what to do. What to pray for. What to really even hope for. Nothing feels easy or crystal clear. Something’s off but I can’t put my finger on it. Can you God? If you can, will you please figure out a way to give me/us what you know I/we really need? Cause I really don’t even know what to ask for right now.”
And to be “as generous as a candle.” That touches me deeply. I burn a lot of candles. And they don’t last forever. Just like us. Ash Wednesday once again. But as they burn, they offer it all. Clearly. Purely. Without hesitation or reservation or resentment (or codependency!). They give all they have and all they are—in the simplest and healthiest way--to be and offer light.
Let’s be more like candles. As individuals, and as a church—may we be as generous as the candles we light each week at the beginning of worship, in our homes, and in all of life.
Hope to see you Sunday,
Pastor B
| 
