With all the musings and discussion on the holiday tragedy in Connecticut, I have been teetering between processing in silence or ranting publicly like so many others are doing on Facebook et al. My consolation came this AM at church which centered around this writing by Barbara Brown Taylor. Without getting preachy, I will try to summarize it:
Her writings and philosophy are about encountering a God who does not live in a church - but among the people. The particular passage - which I cannot find on line, but am interested in reading the book now, (Which anyone who knows me is a challenge) - concerns a study group that is challenged to personify the Beatitudes in living form without text. I honestly had heard the term but had no recollection of what they actually were. They are New Testament teachings based on love and humility. Anyway ....
The one discussed today was Those who mourn: for they will be comforted. Apparently one women was reluctant to participate and designated herself as a corpse to remove herself from the assignment. The group of 5 women made a simple tableau by cradling her head, and connecting hand to body amongst them. When it came time to display, it began in silence - but the women on the ground was soon overcome with sobbing. And from there it elevated through the rest of the women. It became such a living, breathing enactment that the whole room was soon overcome with grief at the simple gesture of the tableau. And what hit us all today was that simple element of connection, grieving in silence where no words were needed. We all need that touch or common bond - in these times where words are not of worth.
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