The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Separation is hard. Separation that distances – physically, mentally, spiritually – is worse. It is natural to seek answers for such stresses from the church, for it, of all institutions, should champion the value of community and the caretaking of one another. But, our record has not always been stellar in that regard. Examples of persecution under the Christian banner are not exactly new. My own denomination employed the practice of shunning in an earlier life, an incredibly destructive form of discipline that disenfranchised its own members and drove numbers of people from the faith. There is nothing today that justifies such disregard as was once promoted.

While the church has hopefully learned something from its earlier mistakes, the latest demands on the integrity of the church are rising concurrent with the hobbles of a pandemic and a time of severe political unrest. What once was an opportunity to be a calm guiding presence quickly devolved in many church settings into just another political fray to claw our way through. Instead of offering itself as a sanctuary, the church has jumped headlong into an arena that exposes its shortcomings and vulnerabilities. How, then, do we stop shouting at one another and begin to rebuild community that has taken such a grievous turn?

Recognize that church for most people is not a be all end all framework for daily living, even if they won’t admit it. While focusing on the divine elements of our lives, it nonetheless is a human institution that is mainly a reflection of us, the best and the worst. Guiding scripture is simply that, inspired writings that are used or misused according to our whim. We declare scripture inviolate then set it back on the shelf until the next Sunday, or study, or life rite. If that sounds harsh, it’s meant to be. We take it down when it suits our purposes and largely ignore it when it doesn’t. Like most politics, it can be used responsibility for the greater good or purposed out of context as justification for self-seeking egoism.

What then do we seek for solace in a religious/political environment that is frequently out of control? We grasp truth that comes to us from unlikely places, examine and test it, then share it as part of a discerning spiritual community. Our job becomes one of listening and allowing God’s presence to unfold. The less noise, the better.

Recently, in the guise of both innocence and wisdom, shone the simple statement of four-year-old Evelyn, someone who embraces life fully each day. As preschool got underway, students were asked a broad question to stimulate thinking and hopefully elicit thoughtful responses. One question probed, “What can help when you are missing someone?” Evelyn’s answer was deeper than she imagined… “Take a nap and rest your heart.”

In the midst of Thanksgiving week, separation and longing are realities that cannot be ignored, from restrictions on travel and gatherings to the disruption of personal courtesies with those we love most. When moments of emotion or apprehension verge on the edge of overwhelming, contemplate how to take a moment or two to rest your heart and bring a sense of calm to yourself and to those whom you love.