When our daughter visits from Iowa, one of our favorite things to do is shop! We don’t always have a specific mission, so most of our time is spent talking, talking some more and then even more talking as we caught up on our lives.  During one of these particular talk fests, we found ourselves meandering through the aisles of Hobby Lobby. My daughter started verbalizing short sentences of words and I soon realized she was reading the sayings that were painted, stenciled, written or drawn on a variety of mediums of décor.  “Welcome; Love; Have more – Worry less; Bless this house; Feelings are just visitors, let them come and go.”  As she continued voicing her finds she said, “remember your friend that said she didn’t want any pictures like these in her house.  She didn’t want her walls, counters or shelves speaking at or to her telling her what to think, feel or believe.  Now I want to ‘unhear’ those words as I do really like some of these, but I feel like maybe they are telling me how to live my life.”  I laughed and said, yes, it would be nice to be able to erase those tapes that we don’t want to remember any longer.  But unfortunately, it’s not that easy to forget what’s already been heard. 

I was reflecting on this idea of ‘unhearing’ things when my attention was drawn to a news video on the TV.  The video was displaying in vibrant color, the sounds, images and pain of war.  The suffering of small children, the look of despair and fear on the faces of parents seeing their children killed on the streets. Tears pouring onto their clothes.  I didn’t want to see this or the continuing news video’s of the buildings that had been blown to pieces and left in utter shambles.  All I could think about while watching was the people who were in those buildings as they were being turned into a pile of  rubble.  These were people just like myself, trying to live life, raise a family, go to school, visit friends and enjoy life.  And there I was, watching on the screen these images of lives torn to shreds and their dreams strewn all over the street and now I can’t “unsee” these images.  I didn’t want to experience again that feeling of helplessness and sadness that moves in when seeing and hearing these tragic events.  I want to be able to help those in this turmoil, but how? How do I stop fires, mass shootings, child abuse and dictators who want to control others lives?  And my last question is always, where is God in all of this and why does He let this happen?  

My book club just finished the novel, American Dirt, which is about a mother and her son trying to migrate to America after her family was slaughtered by the cartel. The book describes in detail the plight of this mother and young son as they try to use all their resources and strength to move to a better life. Hoping beyond hope to leave behind the drug lords and cartels and live somewhere that she will be able to raise her son without continual fear.  Several times in the book I found myself skipping pages where I didn’t want to visualize the detailed descriptions that I knew were coming. There were times, however, when I didn’t stop reading soon enough and the words painted images that were all too real and horrific. As I reflect back on this book, I wish I could ‘unread’ some of the words that described the chilling and gut wrenching story of a young boy and his mom. I want an eraser.

How do I reconcile all these seen, read and heard thoughts that have left me with such a feeling of helplessness.  I can’t quit reading, seeing and hearing everything that happens in life.  After all, there are many wonderful things to read, see and hear that provide joy, laughter, growth, relaxation and love?  Do I need to do a better job of screening my novels, watching the news stories on TV or read in print?  Do I quit listening when I feel someone is going to make a negative comment that I don’t want to hear?  What it comes down to for me is that I don’t want to fall into situations where my emotions will be touched in such a way as to create lasting memories of pain or feelings of helplessness.   Which then means, I build walls.  If I don’t get too close to pain and suffering in the world, I can live in my own isolated world.  But, Is that God’s world?  Am I to live separated from others, from the suffering and pain around me?   

When I ponder the heart breaking books I’ve read, the horrifying pictures and news stories I’ve seen and the words I’ve heard from others, it occurs to me that they were necessary for me to see, read and hear if I’m going to be able to build empathy for others within myself.  I need some word decor    in my home to remind me of positive things to think and do, such as “Pray;  Love; Blessed; Life is a gift.”   Simple words filled with meaning.  They act as reminders throughout the day of what’s really important and several are gifts given and continue to remind me of the giver and my relationship with them.  To keep myself sheltered from the suffering of others on any level is to close the door to my heart and lock others out.  Is that really my goal and if so, what does that say about my relationship with God?   If I can’t live in solidarity with these events, then how do I process the death of Christ, the scourging at the pillar, the sword thrust into His side and the nails in His hands and feet. To know Christ at this level means that I need to hear, see and read words that invoke in me a feeling of empathy, unity, suffering, sacrifice and ultimately following through to the resurrection.

By letting myself encounter these moments of pain and suffering and working my way through them, I’m building my relationship with Christ.  When I let my mind visualize these different situations and see them in their reality, I realize that they are each a story of redemption and resurrection. As Richard Rhor has stated in his book, Eager to Love. 

Once we can accept that God is in all situations and can and will use even bad situations for good, then everything becomes an occasion for good and an occasion for God, and is thus at the heart of religion.  When I let my heart become broken, it’s at that moment that God is closest to my inner being.  ‘How blessed are the poor in spirit’ (Matthew 5:3).”

It’s at this time, when my spirit is poor and looking for isolation, that I need to look deep within myself for ways to be God’s hands, eyes, voice and body. It is a time when I can bring God’s love (good) into the world. As I reflected on this ,I was reminded of the theme song for World Youth Day held in August of ’93 in Denver, Colorado, “We are one Body”.  The words of this song are still with me today.

We are one body, one body in Christ,
And we do not stand alone.
We are one body, one body in Christ,
And he came that we might have life.

On the rock of Peter,
On the church I built.
Receive my spirit,
Let my spirit with my gifts be filled
You are my body, and my hands and feet,
My word of light to everyone you meet
I am the way, the truth, the life.
I am the final sacrifice.
I am the way, the truth, the life.
Believe in me, have eternal Life

This song speaks to that dimension in all of us; weak, abused, abusers, poor, rich, suffering, all united as one body in Christ. If I’m truly of this one body, then I cannot not read painful pages of a story, unsee horrific events of the world or unhear when someone smears my name. I need to know and trust that in those darkest hours, the holy spirit is living within me, and I will feel no greater love. These situations are my call to action.

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well’, but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?  So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:14-17).

I realize there is a lot of work to be done to bring God back into our world. The spirit is within me to do something, to be the arms, legs and body of Christ, even when I am not sure what this might look like. I don’t sense that God is calling me to get on a plane to Ukraine to rescue individuals or fight the war. I am not any match for a drug cartel or numerous other situations that are beyond my physical and sometimes financial ability to help. Although I find myself questioning whether this is just an excuse, am I thinking too big and looking too little.

There are many other ways for me to be the body of Christ in today’s world. Such as: Run an errand for someone, provide transportation for someone, become pen pals with someone in a nursing home, taking time to listen to someone’s story, become an advocate for any number of issues facing the world today. The internet is full of causes looking for people to help get the word out. In the words of Austin Ruse in his book, Under Siege, he says,

“The world is in such a mess, all you have to do to make it a better place is do something, do anything. As I say in the book, Halos (needs of the world) are hanging from the lowest branches of the trees. You don’t even need to be on your tippy toes. Just reach up and grab one. By all means, go to Mass every day if you can. Say the Rosary every day, say it with your family. Read Sacred Scripture every day. Find a spiritual director. Find some spiritual reading. Learn the Faith. Teach it to others, especially your children and your grandchildren. All of this is foundational. Start today. Right now.”

When I finally started to focus on what I could do rather than what I couldn’t, it was amazing what I discovered. If my relationship with God is to reflect the Easter words, “New Life in the Resurrection,” then it needs to point out into the world. When I’m full of the spirit of Christ, it fills me, and when I spread that to others, it pours over them and together we become one body in Christ.

Finally, I decided that I’d look to see what I could do for the people of Ukraine and I was overwhelmed with possibilities. So many Halos (needs) hanging out there to be picked. “30 Meaningful Ways You Can Help Ukraine” is a wonderful site full of information and easy access with a large variety of ways to become involved without leaving your home. “8 Practical Ways to Help Refuges.” is a wonderful list of ideas to help the Refuges and provides places to contact. So it took me less then two minutes to find a list of ‘Halos’ where I could try to match my gifts and skills with the needs of the world. While rejoicing in the “gift of new life” this Easter season, I pray that each of you will grab a Halo and let that “New Easter” life flow into the world and together we continue to become the body of Christ.

Happy Easter!