The Out of the Darkness Walk was yesterday, October 13, 2018 in Salem. Its the third Salem walk, and this time we were downtown on the capital steps. Folks from Holy Cross showed up to walk with me and I took Sassy, our new corgi pup as a ‘comfort dog’ of sorts. The idea of walking in solidarity with others who have suffered the death from suicide of someone who was close to you is not a new one. But, when we got to the bead ceremony, where we each hold up our beads representing our particular loss (loss of spouse, loss of child, loss of relative, loss of military member, personal struggle with suicidal thoughts, and support of suicide prevention) we consecrate the moment. Lifting up those beads is a physical representation of lifting up the burden we all feel – being left with the sadness and loss after the death of another by suicide.
The Gospel reading for today, Sunday Oct 14 includes the reference, 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ 26They were greatly astounded and said to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’ 27Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.’ (Mark 10:25-27). Of course, I don’t want to minimize the face that wealth can be a barrier to drawing near to God, but I picture the camel loaded down with saddlebags, as they would have been in a journey in the Middle East, and the idea of the ‘rich man’ becomes any of us who are loaded down with stuff – stuff that keeps us from drawing near to God.
Maybe your stuff is all the things you own – all the bills you have to pay. Maybe your stuff is all the things you have to do – in order to keep your public image as someone who is very involved. Maybe your stuff is all the sadness you keep hidden – your stiff upper lip is holding it all in, so no one sees any crack in your armor. Maybe your stuff is perfectionism – polishing up your life so no one sees the unvarnished facts that you are just a person striving to survive. Jesus says For God all things are possible – even getting a camel loaded with stuff through the eye of a needle. Surely God can handle your fears, your burdens, your pain.
We need others to bear the burdens of life with us, like at the Out of the Darkness Walk. We need community to help us realize the perfect persona we try so hard to keep together is not worth it – is in fact dragging us down.
Bless you all. Come on by worship this morning Sunday October 14th at 9:30 am (and every Sunday) and we’ll talk about it. We’re at 1998 Lansing Ave NE, Salem, Oregon, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church –
Blessings – Pastor Patricia+