Congratulations! Faithlessness Wins!
Detractors of a faith life often cite as a weakness the Faithful’s lack of self-reliance. The need to lean on a higher power due to inherent mental and emotional inadequacy voids any measure of success in making it alone. One would think the Faithful wanting and needy.
And I will pin a badge of honour on any proud chest who declares such independence in the world. With tears in my eyes, heart wrenched in pain and commendation on my lips I will whisper in sorrow your applause: “Look, you made it without having to believe in anything but yourself”… all by yourself… at the centre of your universe with all your things… alone.
Congratulations, your faithlessness wins.
Quiet Saints and Their Weakness
I have observed many quiet, ordinary people who prove daily the weakness of their faith choice. I sit with them in the pews at church. They spend their time foolishly.
For instance, a woman drives to hospital after an exhausting work day. Hours later she is still there so as not to leave a grieving woman alone as her husband journeys his last breathes. Seems excessive; she could stay at home recuperating from her hard day by drinking wine and watching Netflix.
I have met a few who spend ridiculous amounts of time keeping company with a cancer patient–driving her to and from treatments, abiding while she receives treatments.
Then the loads of practical types, the ones who hammer and fix things, and the ones who make things nice; not sure what they hope to prove. Giving up time at no charge–repairing, restoring, painting, fixing and beautifying a building for use on Sunday by mostly people they don’t know. Seems odd, all that effort on fixing stuff for people who are practically strangers. Lost time means lost wages.
And that woman who for three years picked up an ill and troubled soul who otherwise would never make it out of her home to attend church… well that woman is the one receiving Stage Four cancer treatments. She also visits her husband in an extended care facility at four p.m. every day. Her husband is barely communicating with advancing Lewy Body disease. Go figure—time with someone who hardly knows you anymore might be better spent on the links perfecting a golf swing.
So many onerous stories, but why spend more time on recounting weakness? These religious sorts must need to feel… well… needed. What else but emotional insecurity could drive a person to lose large amounts of time, energy and resources?
The Holy Spirit: A Weakness that Moves
Where I sit in the pew, I see the vulnerabilities and failings of these faithful embedded in a rock of faith. Relationship with God and others is the core of their “weakness.” Somewhere in their journey they came to understand the two are inseparable. And the reason they don’t “do it alone” is because they know it’s not meant to be done alone—ever.
As for me, I am going back to church to sit again beside one of those weak and quiet Saints. I need to know more about what moves these people.
To be continued…