The View From Here
by Rev. Adam Blons
October 26, 2023
We are in a season of grief.
We are grieving the mounting death and destruction across the world in Israel and Gaza. That is on top of our grief over the war in Ukraine, our grief over the state of our democracy, and now the grief over another mass shooting. Meanwhile, COVID seems to be everywhere again, stirring up resentment and bad memories. There is grief upon grief. Rev. Willam Sloan Coffin said once that God's heart is the first to break in any tragedy. We are met in our grief and dismay by a grieving God whose love and compassion holds it all.
November 1 is All Saints Day, an occasion to remember and grieve the ordinary and extrodinary people who have gone before us. We will be observing All Saints Day together on Sunday, November 5. You are invited once again to bring a photo, memento, or other item to honor any person, any loss you are carrying: a photo of a deceased family member, a necktie you used to wear at the job you lost or left, a cloth mask you made during the pandemic, or something to honor those who have died in wars past and present.
I have been thinking a lot about how to memorialize the loss and trauma of the pandemic, particularly the shut down. I don't expect there will ever be an anniversary date assigned like other national tragedies. Anniversaries give us opportunities to gather, remember, and participate in rituals around our grief. This is a normal and important part of the long term work of healing. I wonder if we will ever do this as a global village.
We made the communal altar at church in 2017 on All Saints Sunday. Even if you aren't sure what to bring for the altar (don't worry, you will get it back at the end of the morning), there will be ways for everyone to contribute, remember, and grieve. And it is important to just be there for one another, to witness one another's losses, and to surround them with God's boundless love and mercy. I am grateful for the rituals of the church that support our grief and healing.
