What Words Will Be Spoken?
Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash
The Need For Words That Comfort Fractured Souls
by Eric Elkin
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Tuesday morning, I added a new parable to my story of life. A parable is a simple story with a spiritual lesson. Every day produces an encounter one can use to teach spiritual lessons. Most of these encounters fade from our memory as quickly as the sun sets. Some, though, find their way deep into our souls. They become part of the narrative we share with others and repeat over and over again.
Tuesday's parable began with a very sad phone call. A beloved woman in the congregation died unexpectedly in her sleep. While she was in her 90s, her mind and body were in excellent health. The suddenness of her passing made her death even more painful. There was no time to prepare for its coming.
As I met with the family in her apartment, the funeral home came to take her body away. The hardest part of death is watching the mundane duties that need to be done to bring life to a close. These chores drive a stake in your heart. Words provide little comfort; one can only stand and endure the pain.
The senior living center staff offers each resident's family an "honor walk." The administration leads the deceased person and family out of the building. They invite members of the community to join them at the front door. Words are spoken, blessings shared, and the grieving finds a moment to embrace.
“Human beings do not readily admit desperation. When they do, the kingdom of heaven draws near.”
When the time came, after everyone had a chance to speak, I invited those gathered to hear the words of the 23rd Psalm. A part of me felt stupid for reading from a Bible app on my phone. As I started reading, I was reminded the words, not the book, provide the power.
Every resident knew the words from memory and spoke them with me. Psalms are sacred songs designed to be sung. And, while there was no melody to our voices, the unison of our souls provided its own song. Surely goodness and mercy followed all of us at that moment.
I started to tear up as I listened to the voices sing their speech. My tears were not ones of grief. At that moment, I knew we were standing in the presence of the Lord. Yet, not even that awareness was the reason for my tears.
My tears were one of sadness. As I listened, all I could think about were lost sheep. Would my children, your children, or anyone who has moved away from an active faith life ever know this kind of hope? When faced with life's tragedies, what words will be spoken that will give them comfort?
Don't get me wrong, goodness and mercy follow all God's children regardless of their attendance or participation performance. I'm just thinking about the words that comfort the fractured soul. The kind of words a fractured community can speak together and find peace. I pray all of us can discover the words to this song.
Click to read Psalm 23
Reflection Questions:
When have you experienced loss?
What helped you cope with the grief?
What words would you turn to find solace?
Have you ever felt as though you were standing in the presence of God? If not, what would it take to experience that feeling?
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