Hearts Broken Open - June 17
Resources for Suffering, Grieving, and Healing
from Saint Stephen’s Christian Formation
The Rev. Dr. Malcolm Marler, “Good Grief: How to Survive It or Help Someone Through It”
The Rev. Dr. Vincent Pizzuto, “A Cry of Dereliction: Lamentation and Resurrection in the Gospels”
Will Kynes, PhD, “How Biblical Lament Helps Us Respond to Suffering”
Amy Cottrill, PhD, “Resilience in the Midst of Suffering: Perspectives from the Psalms”
The Rev. Dr. Sam Wells, “Does God Heal?”
The Rev. Steve McPeek, “The Gift of Grief and the Fellowship of Suffering”
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 88; PM Psalm 91, 92; Num. 13:1-3,21-30; Rom. 2:25-3:8; Matt. 18:21-35
Today’s Reflection
This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit of Jesus. Amen. (Prayer for Morning, Book of Common Prayer, p. 461)
As we begin this new day, we are waking up forever changed. As I write this on Friday morning London time (Thursday night, Birmingham time), two very beloved members of our Saint Stephen’s community have died in the most senseless and tragic circumstances, a shooting in our own church building. Another remains hospitalized. Still others who were present are now carrying the invisible, lasting wounds of trauma. All who knew them and who are at all connected with our church are impacted in innumerable ways.
This is a space that we associate with love and joy and community—wedding receptions, Vacation Bible School, bingo and movie nights, guest lectures, Sunday Forums, Wednesday night dinners, the ECW Tea. Now this same space will also be linked in our minds with a time of fear and chaos and sorrow. What are we to do? How are we to go on? As one of your priests, I do not know what to say in the face of all of this deep sadness, but I am praying for the words this morning as I write to you from far away—and looking toward being reunited to walk together through this time of collective grieving and healing.
As I look through the readings appointed for today, our psalm appointed is Psalm 88, which begins with these verses: “O Lord, my God, my Savior, by day and night I cry to you. Let my prayer enter into your presence; incline your ear to my lamentation.” These verses capture well the raw, vulnerable spirit of these recent hours for me and I expect for many of you as well. Our hearts are crying out. My mind and body are tired from lack of sleep, having learned of this at 1:30 a.m. London time and not sleeping since hearing word. My heart is tired from hearing of the shooting down of yet more innocent people—and all the more because these are these sheep of our very own fold.
And so, all I know to do right now to rest in God’s presence, crying out in the middle of the night and now in the beginning of the new day: How long, O God?
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
In closing, I offer you what is coming up for me in these first hours of processing what has happened and what is giving me hope and reassurance in this time: Our hearts are surely broken—but in this suffering, our hearts are also broken open. The healing, saving love of Christ wells up inside each one of us, seeping through the cracks of our brokenness and suffering to refresh this dry land in need of this living water.
God is with us as we suffer, grieve, and heal—and we are with one another. Thanks be to God.
Becky+
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen. Blessing of Peace (Book of Common Prayer, p. 339)
Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.
For behold, darkness covers the land;
deep gloom enshrouds the peoples.
But over you the Lord will rise,
and his glory will appear upon you.
Nations will stream to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawning.
Your gates will always be open;
by day or night they will never be shut.
They will call you, The City of the Lord,
The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Violence will no more be heard in your land,
ruin or destruction within your borders.
You will call your walls, Salvation,
and all your portals, Praise.
The sun will no more be your light by day;
by night you will not need the brightness of the moon.
The Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever.
The Third Song of Isaiah (Canticle 11, Book of Common Prayer, pp. 87-88)
