Beloveds,
Ernest Hemingway wrote: “The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” In 1992, the band R.E.M. released the song “Everybody Hurts”. Some of the lyrics are:
“When your day is long
And the night, the night is yours alone
When you’re sure you’ve had enough
Of this life, well hang on
Don’t let yourself go
‘Cause everybody cries
Everybody hurts sometimes…”
‘Cause everybody hurts
Take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts.”
Quite often, when we are having a bad patch, we feel that we aren’t fit for human consumption. We are embarrassed and hole up. To keep up appearances, we don’t come to church – which is exactly the opposite of what church should be about. Our sanctuary is a space where we can celebrate each other in joy and hold each other in sorrow.
We talk about being a safe space for the most vulnerable, and – as the song intimates –we all have our moments. In those moments, rather than succumbing to shame, call on God, call on me, call on your community. As another song sings, “That’s what friends are for.”
I invite you to continue the journey through “I’ve Been Meaning to Ask…” as we explore “Where does it hurt? What makes your heart hurt?” We are diving deeper, and our sharing will be riskier. Our key text this week will be 1 Samuel 1:1-18. I look forward to seeing you at 10 am on Sunday at 1130 Balclutha or on Zoom. Tell a friend. Bring a friend.
Cheer up companions!
Rev. Michael Cronin