On a Pallet
“He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead.”—Apostles Creed.
Bishop Jake Owensby of western Louisiana once reminded us in his blog, Looking for God in Messy Places, about the line in the Apostles Creed where Jesus descended to the dead. (“Unbearable, “Looking for God in Messy Places, July 1, 2018, jakeowensby.com) Bishop Owensby’s message is that our God goes to the places that seem like hell on earth to us. I also remember that our definition of hell is the absence of God. Perhaps the creed tells us that even when we do not feel the presence of God, when life seems unbearable, God is still there.
When we are there in hell, when we feel unlovable, when our health fails, when our best friend dies, when depression lives not only in a cloud above us, but also flows in our bloodstream and the synapses in our brain, this is a difficult belief to remember.
This image of a loving, caring God must be written on our hearts when we feel connected to God and live in what seems like heaven, so that we can take it with us when our life descends into hell. But, unfortunately, this is still too hard. We cannot depend on ourselves to remember how much God loves us. This is why spiritual friends and community are so needed. This is why God calls us to a community. When we become paralyzed with fear, loneliness, and pain, we need spiritual friends to carry us on that pallet through the roof to God. Otherwise, life becomes too hard.
Advent and Christmas are times for us to remember and care for so many of our friends suffering through the holidays with the loss of someone dear. We can call, visit, text, email a message of love and hope.
This may not be the only answer for times of darkness, but it is the experience I have known best as friends offer the love of the God of their understanding until we are again connected to the God of love and compassion we once knew. Then more will be revealed.
Joanna joannaseibert.com
