Spiritual Things Matter

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was within me an invincible summer. ~Albert Camus

Due to the recent loss in our family, I have contemplated once more the meaning of pain and suffering that we as humans so often experience. No one wants to suffer and none of us want to go through the process of suffering. This process is painful and it is a place of profound loneliness as we face those “winter moments” in our lives.

I have tried to imagine what life would be like if we never had to suffer. And if throughout our lives, everything went exactly the way we wished it would be. If we had all the love, all of the talent and intellectual capacities, if we were all-powerful and had wealth beyond measure, what would we as human beings be like? I wonder as multi-dimensional beings, could we grow, develop and strengthen our inner spiritual selves and our physical and mental well being? Could we comprehend, even in the least, that life is far greater than the meeting of our external physical needs? Would we simply exist in an infantile state only seeking to gratify the next desire?

When a person experiences suffering, the pain can go very deep. Often words can utterly fail us. We would rather find a place to ourselves to shelter us from the voracity of the assailant. Indeed, if we could, we would retreat completely until we have a chance to heal and dry our bitter tears.

“Life is difficult.” This is the first sentence Dr. M. Scott Peck wrote in his ground-breaking book, “The Road Less Traveled.” Dr. Peck gave us the benefit of this work that I would recommend to everyone to read at least once. And so it is….life is difficult and arduous! This is also the first of the “Four Noble Truths”, as taught by Buddha. “Life is suffering.” And yet, something profoundly beautiful can take place in a human life when they experience suffering. It is within their own choice to transform it into something workable and meaningful in and for their own experience. Life on this earth gives us many opportunities to grow and evolve into generous, kind and loving human beings. Not all will chose to go that path but the opportunities are there each and every time we encounter hardship and loss.

Pain and suffering create an inroad into our deeper selves. Kahlil Gibran says it beautifully, “Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.” This “understanding,” once realized, is profoundly transformative and provides us with the means to “ground” ourselves in order to find a greater purpose for our lives.

I wish for each of my readers to be strengthened when you go through your own pain. Indeed, pain will come to all of us, without exception. The treasure of God lies within you and it is within you where you will find the wisdom and understanding that you will need. All the strength and fortitude will be there to enable you to live through each painful second. Be not afraid but understand that you are never alone. You will emerge stronger, having learned lessons that could never have been bought for a price. That, I believe, is called, “Grace” and that grace will be your gift!

Gently, I smile as I realize,
The pangs of my pain
The wounds of my sufferings
Are transformed into
A tranquil river of love. ~Viola M. Jaynes

Love is the subtlest force in the world. ~Mahatma Gandhi

This time of the year is especially contemplative as many will honor Easter. Our churches will be filled with worshipers as they sing their beautiful songs and hymns in perhaps even greater conviction and love they have for God. I too lose myself in beautiful and worshipful hymns and songs as they can touch my deepest parts as nothing else can.

There is something beautiful and gentle about using your voice to sing. Singing with a group of people brings an experience of connectedness and love that I find deeply comforting. When we unite our voices in worship and prayer, we are reminded that each of us is giving, as well as gaining, strength and courage to continue on the path that we have chosen. As we look around, we see many who suffer and many suffer silently for fear that no one would understand. Yet, they continue to worship God because they are deeply convicted that there is strength in His Divine love. I bow in honor to all those who recognize this love.

My heart is pulled towards those who have found many of our churches to be empty of love. Though many words are spoken from our pulpits, it seems that so often the true meaning behind those words are gone. Unfortunately, there are many who feel that our churches have turned into nothing but large social places in which to meet friends and acquaintances in the hopes of perhaps filling some emptiness in their lives. I wonder, though – have we forgotten forgiveness? Where is love and mercy? What happened to sharing peace with our fellow man? It often seems that although the hallways of our churches are full, no one really sees the other. It often seems that each keeps to his own, perhaps out of fear that too much will be asked of them? The longing for genuine community and unconditional love is, I believe, the cry of so many. Yet, many fear to unveil and become authentic. As an alternative, people become islands unto themselves.

Practically everywhere we go, we can see a church on every corner, yet many will never enter them. I think of those who make their homes under our bridges and on our highways. There are many lonely people who live in shelters who have no money with which to purchase their next meal. I think of the children who have been removed from their homes because there was no love to give them, and only anger and hate was their lot. My thoughts go to the many elderly and ill people who were placed in homes and whose loved ones live too far away to even come for a visit. We have our hospitals where lives hang in the balance, and one never knows from one day to the next whether or not they will survive. Thoughts go to our military men and women who bravely offer their service, and even their lives, so that we all might have peace on our soil. May we offer our prayers with love, for their safety, and also for their families who know so many anxious moments, until their loved ones return once again, safely, into their tight embrace.

This Easter, I bow and ask that God will bring our hearts closer to Him. My longing is – that He may teach us how to pray and how to love one another in greater depth and meaning. I pray for His mercy and His peace, and I ask that we would never partake of violence and hate. May our eyes see that through His death, burial and resurrection, His work has been done and it is finished. May our ears hear that mercy, peace, compassion and love – are all that is left. May our hearts understand and embrace this truth – for it is only love that will bring healing and peace to this earth.

I pray that we may all recognize His beauty and through it, be changed into loving, compassionate, and kind human beings.

I wish each of my dear readers a blessed and wonderful Easter!