Love alone connects
The energy of Good
Friday always feels strangely silent and empty. God is entering into
the pain and torment of the world so fully that He seems more silent,
less present, more removed, even gone.
This is as it is in
true suffering. You are removed by degrees from the world till the
torture of your physical reality overwhelms and annihilates you.
Empties you of everything, it seems, except the pain, the exquisite
moment of unutterable torture that defies description yet in which
you are absolutely caught.
Communication is no
longer about dialogue. Words seem empty here. The person can no
longer speak and tell of their experience.
Few are able to bear
the pain of watching, waiting, being, with the person who suffers to
the end, especially if that pain is drawn out over years and years.
This is no longer a place of comfort, yet it is a place of the heart.
It is a place where love is required, where love alone connects and
stays with that person, where that person also can still connect with
you, through love.
Love borne of the
Spirit, remains connected, aids in some unspoken way, takes wings and
flies out to greet and touch and somehow give strength in the
bleakest, most barren, pain- wracked place. Love alone survives and
ultimately holds us and brings healing despite the pain and grief.
As Jesus is dying on
the cross, few remained. It was a barren and terrible place to be.
Even the Father must have wept. For His Son could no longer feel His
presence, such was His agony.
And yet, it is in
this most difficult place that love triumphs. Despite the suffering,
Christ enters into every single moment of agony in the world. He
draws it to Himself and is so overloaded by distress, shame, horror,
guilt, hurt and evil, that it must have been almost impossible to
feel His Fathers love, yet still He reaches out, knowing that He is
love, knowing the gift He can give, knowing that as He is physically
broken, so the Spirit that heals transforms, transcends is released
for all time.
What Power of love
is here in this place, that despite such agony, such separation from
all that is good, hopeful, true, beautiful, uplifting, joyful,
precious, Christ opens His heart as He is physically dying, to
embrace each one of us and offers us new life, a new way, a new path
of Spirit that brings us to everlasting Hope.
As we in our
individual suffering, whether in the agony of the cross or watching
at the foot of the cross, enter into the meaning of Good Friday and
contemplate, through experience, His passion, may we be reminded that
we are bearing witness to absolute love and that even if we feel Him
not, because our own suffering and grief is too great, yet still He
is present and holding us too. And this is the place of profound
miracle, because of His most precious gift of life. May we each
experience this Holy power on this bleak and saddest of days. Amen
Thank you, there are no words to say how much this means to me. I was playing "Where the Streets Have No Name" on repeat at the time I clicked on this link a friend sent me. Many tears fell as I am very alone and feel Him not, the only love I do feel is from the friend that sent me the link, but her love comes from Him. I can't thank you enough for this.
ReplyDeleteWe are deeply moved by what you saud. God truly does work to reach out to us, especially when suffering is so intense we cannot feel His presence. We are so pleased to have reached you; it means everything. Bless you. Much love xxxxx
ReplyDeleteIt's so clear how well you know this place, Greg. Hugs to you both. -Jocelyn
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and one I will refer back to again and again for strength and comfort. Thank you
ReplyDeleteI just finished watching From the Shadows, and I was again blown away by your amazing ability to be there for your loved one, Greg. You are an inspiration to all. It helped me to learn that even you and Linda have issues with family and friends abandoning you as you trudge on through daily life as patient and caretaker. I'm so sorry to hear they've done that to you, but feel a bit less like it's my fault it's happened in my life that way too.
ReplyDeleteWishing you happiness this Easter. - RockinME