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| "For all the saints, who from their labors rest..."Dear Friends: Sometimes it seems to me that we are living in a state of chronic grief. A loved one dies. We receive news that yet another friend is moving away. We or someone we care about enters (another) health crisis. We face a job loss, or job change. Meanwhile, war casualties escalate. News of shootings, abductions, and car wrecks seem terribly close to home. Reports of wounded, starving refugees never seem to abate. We become by turns exhausted and sad, anxious, frustrated and angry. What can we do to help each other, and ourselves, through times like this? One path of encouragement is to stay focused on the prevalent human desire to extend mercy and compassion. A woman who operates a wildlife rehabilitation program keeps a mental list of the wide variety of people who bring wounded animals to the clinic: a weeping young woman carrying an injured fawn wrapped in a blanket; a tattooed biker cradling eight mallard chicks he has rescued from a storm drain; a man in a business suit delivering a half-dead bird that had smacked into somebody's window (along with a $50 donation); a child with a new-born bunny that she has gotten away from a cat. "I see this as a golden thread of mercy," says Mary Rose. "In the dark alleys of our city, people hurt and maim, while here in our clinic people line up to save God's creatures." Similarly, people and agencies are working to help refugees, crime victims, and bereaved families. Our friends and fellow church members make sincere efforts to console us. The world is not all bad. We have reason for hope. Another balm for our spirits is the telling of stories. Among my most precious experiences of ministry is sitting with a family while memories are shared of a loved one who has recently died. Funny stories, sad stories, little things and big things all serve to paint a picture of a vital and deeply valued person. The tears shed are often an expression of profound gratitude, not just of loss. Fortunately, opportunities for telling and listening to stories are available to us. We might join a short-term small group at church, such as the one Pastor Fran and Eric Brown are planning for the holiday season. We might look for a support group through a hospital or hospice, an organization such as AA or Al Anon, a military chaplaincy program, or a job search center. We might simply take time to have coffee with a friend. Hard as it is when we are burdened by loss, we might also consider the wisdom of a dear departed saint Lucille Brown. When asked how she remained in such good spirits throughout her long life (she lived to be more than 100 years old) she said, "There is always somebody to love." We may have to say many good byes throughout our lives, but there is no shortage of neighbors and new friends and other family members who could benefit from our kindness, attention, and care. We will always remember those who have shared our lives and been important to us, and those dear ones would want us to keep living and find joy after they are gone. It is truly a gift from God that there is "always somebody to love." God, of course, is our ultimate comfort in times of grief. "Comfort, O comfort my people," says God in one famous passage from the prophet Isaiah. We are assured that God knows our pain and struggles. When we feel we don't have the strength even to get out of bed, we can ask for God's energy to infuse us. When we feel we may never stop crying, we can remember that Jesus himself shed tears over the people and places he loved. We can pour out our angers and frustrations to God even when nobody else wants to hear it. God will not be pushed away by our sorrow. God remains near at hand. May we know the peace of Christ, Pastor April |
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