The Longest Night

I attended the Longest Night Service last night at Burks UMC.  On the front of the bulletin was a star of Bethlehem with the words "The light that shines in darkness!"  Below that were these words from Ann Weems:

"Some of us walk into Advent

tethered to our unresolved yesterdays,

the pain still stabbing;

the hurt still throbbing.

It's not that we don't know better;
it's just that we can't stand up anymore

by ourselves.

On the way to Bethlehem,

will you give us a hand?"

I read that over and over.  Powerful words.  The author struck me as familiar, though only vaguely.  Today I looked up the poem and learned that it is called "Yesterday's Pain".  I found it in Kneeling in Bethlehem on page 14.

When I looked it up, I realized why the author was vaguely familiar.  I had quoted a Lenten poem of hers back on April 13, 2011 (http://alienadventurejourney.blogspot.com/2011/04/lenttaking-time-on-journey-for.html) when I was first introduced to her.  That poem came from the book Kneeling in Jerusalem.

The service was a blessing for me from the front page of the bulletin to the responsive Call to Worship, Hymns, Scripture, Liturgy of Remembering and Lamenting, time to remember others and light candles, musical offering by Wil, the Meditation ("Jesus Was A Refugee") to the closing Prayer and Hymn.

Suffering is not something we can escape, though we try.  From experience, living through suffering has made me a stronger person.  My roots have deepened, if for no other reason than because they have had to for survival.  There have been different aspects of hurt, suffering, and pain on my journey.  I've shared about some of them.  And, I've shared different books that have been instrumental in my growth through those difficult and dark times.  When the Heart Waits by Sue Monk Kidd is one of those books.

I've just finished a book entitled Yearning Minds & Burning Hearts: Rediscovering the Spirituality of Jesus by Glandion Carney & William Long.  There is a chapter on "Jesus and Suffering" toward the end of the book that struck me.  I underlined and starred quite a few lines in the chapter.  The last line of the chapter sums it up for me: "Pain is transformed into hope; suffering is transmuted into joy." (p. 201)

As I lit a couple of candles last night at the service, I thought of the homeless, my brother who is suffering mentally and emotionally right now due to an accident many years ago and the brain injury that accompanied it (along with some actions that stemmed from the cyclical dark times that occur), and a friend going through the gauntlet, so to speak.  As I write this now, I think of quite a few others I know of who are hurt, in pain, or suffering in one way or another.

I pray for myself and each person that we have strength for the journey and that we have the courage to walk through the hurt, pain, and suffering in our own lives and in the lives of those we love.

For myself, Christ has been my source of strength, courage, joy, and light through many a difficult time.  As I look toward the celebration of the birth of the Christ child, may I remember not only the child, but the one who experienced suffering, rejection, pain, abandonment, betrayal, homelessness, etc.  May I seek to share and be the love and light of such a one.

Blessings to you as you journey on your path,

~Debra