The Power of a Community of Faith

by Irene Daniel

A couple of weeks ago, as we all know unless you've been living under a rock, all hell broke loose in South Carolina when 9 black people were murdered by a horribly misguided young white man filled with hatred and rage. The ensuing events were nearly as shocking in their compassion and faith, as was the massacre itself.

I'm speaking of course, of the powerful message of forgiveness offered to the racist murderer from the families of the slain at his arraignment hearing. It was, I believe, this jaw-dropping display of the kind of love that is beyond the capacity of mere mortals like me, more than the evil act itself, that moved this entire nation to tears, and to change. It was that act of forgiveness that has moved sons of segregationists and descendants of Jefferson Davis to proclaim from the floors of both houses of the South Carolina legislature, a resounding and emotional condemnation of the Confederate flag as a symbol of hatred.

Whatever you believe, or don't believe, about race relations in this country, or how you feel about President Obama and/or his eulogy for South Carolina State Senator Clemente Pinckney, I think that we can all agree that the Spiritual energy on display and in practice at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on that day was a most powerful message of love. As I watched the service in the comfort of my living room, I was deeply moved and inspired by what I was witnessing. And I said to myself, "I want that."

I want that capacity to love. I want that ability to forgive. I want that courage to surrender to an abiding faith. And I want that openness to give and receive love without fear. I want that. And I know where to go to get it. It really doesn't require superior critical thinking skills to plainly see that the source of all that loving and forgiveness was an abiding faith. And that faith was born of the powerful fellowship of the strong and consistent faith powerfully practiced at the Emanuel AME church.

I like to call myself a Catholic Taoist. While I have always had issues with the faith of my childhood; with its treatment of women, as well as its legion excesses and abuses of privilege throughout its long history, somehow I keep coming back to it, no matter where I am. At certain difficult times in my life I even attended daily masses, and used to read scripture daily in accordance with the liturgical calendar. And now that I am back in my hometown, I have the privilege to attend the little church where I made my First Holy Communion. My Catholic faith is something I simply can't seem to escape, and to which I have finally surrendered. I can't explain it really, it just is. The Taoist part of my soul is the yin to my Catholic yang, and helps me to see the Oneness of all things.

I have been Spiritually ill lately. My soul died last year. In March I buried it so deep that only a series of miracles could unearth it, and permit the light to shine through it again. I stopped praying, which I used to do every day, and I stopped going to mass. I hated everything, especially God.

And then, on Easter week-end as fate would have it, I began to wake up a little. On Good Friday, I realized that I really did love myself and the life that I was living, even though the challenges I was facing still seemed insurmountable. On Easter Sunday I attended mass with one of my dearest friends, whose faith has been an example to me for over 50 years. I truly felt like a new creation, and still do every day. In the ensuing months, I have experienced a number of miracles, big and small, which enabled me to completely surrender my soul to God, the Universe, the Tao -- whatever you want to call that undeniable Spiritual energy that is the metaphysical truth of our universe.

Lately, when I attend mass I am much more vested in the service. I participate fully in the traditions and rituals. I don't have to be in alignment with everything the priest says and does, I just have to show up and be all in.  And in so doing, I am able to experience a greater sense of peace, Christ's Peace. And I am better able to engage with my fellows, instead of isolating in suffering. I am able to appreciate the beauty of the world and the love that is all around me. I am better able to appreciate how totally this very community embraced and cared for me, even when I shunned all things Spiritual and hated God.

But I'm just getting started. If I want to be able to forgive more readily, to be more patient and kind with others as well as myself, if I want to experience the freedom that only peace of mind can give, then I need to keep showing up the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Florence, AZ. For I know that I am still a long way from being able to forgive a hurt within a 72 hour period of time, even a small one, much less the murder of a loved one. My recent acts of forgiveness for hurts big and small pale in comparison to that which we witnessed in South Carolina. I will have to work and pray in order to build up my Spiritual muscle before I can be that kind of example for anyone.

But now I know I want it because I have witnessed the power of forgiveness and faith. I have seen and heard the results of human beings spending a lifetime in faith and working up their Spiritual muscle week by week, month by month and year by year, surrounded and supported by their own community of faith. That kind of grace doesn't manifest overnight. It takes time, effort and complete free-falling surrender to cultivate the Spiritual empowerment that enables the forgiveness of murderers within days of the killing.

I want that. And I know where I can get it. And I especially know now that I cannot get there by myself. Thank you to empowering communities of faith, of all creeds and denominations, everywhere that enables us to see past this human foil in order to embrace our highest selves. Thank you. I want that; I want what you have. I want that.


                                             
                                                                                         Copyright 2015, Irene Daniel, all rights reserved.