We are not alone: Bishop Peter

Dear colleagues,

I was shocked last Monday as I woke to the news of the Greta bus accident. It was easy to imagine myself or people I know being on the bus. I waited to hear the news of what was happening. To hear whether someone I knew had been killed or injured.

It has been an exceptionally demanding time for many in our community. There are few degrees of separation when tragedy strikes.

I was moved,  as the events unfolded, by the way people cared for others. There was the direct care at the crash site and the hospitals. There were thousands of other acts of care as people supported each other.

Many lives were rocked last Monday. Many people are still putting their lives back together.

One of the hardest things to get used to in life is the simple fact that bad things happen. Sometimes it is a natural event. Other times it is because someone has made a mistake. Our days don’t end as they have begun. Someone we know is hurt or sad or worse.

Religious people and philosophers have tried for thousands of years to come up with a suitable explanation. Almost nothing fits when we are first caught by shock. No explanation is good enough. Later we might hope for someone to wave a magic wand so that everything gets better. Over time we build a capacity to integrate our grief. Yet, it can easily return.

I am often able to navigate my experiences by using a ‘book’ in the bible called the psalms. It is a collection of poetry shared by Jews and Christians. There are likely many different authors. Their writing is often very raw. Their emotions very plain. Two psalms (42 and 43) address deep sadness and depression. Other psalms (like 5) enable people to express anger.

One of the clear messages is that we do not need to retain our deep feelings of sadness and anguish. We can express them in ballads and in prayers.

Psalm 23 is one of the most famous psalms. It reminds us that we are not alone in our darkest places. God is present as our companion and guide. I was speaking these words as I lit candles in prayer in the Cathedral last Monday night. The psalm ends with the words, “And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

May you be given the strength and support you need whenever you experience life’s darkness.

Every blessing,

+Peter