Holy Interruption

Recently, I have spent some time with St Benedict’s Toolbox, a book written by Jane Tomaine. I am not sure there is a more helpful resource anytime one wants to hone skills and craft a meaningful rule of life, but now, well, now I would say my engagement with the book is a gift!

While I am particularly drawn to sections on obedience and remaining and stability, I was also struck by the question raised about “interruptions”. Monday night there was an interruption, yet again, when the President had the way violently and ruthlessly cleared to stage a photo-op at St John’s Episcopal Church. Holding the most sacred text his message of force was taken to the grounds of a sanctuary. No prayer. 

As my rage and disgust lifted yesterday morning, albeit slightly, I remembered interruptions, cracks in stability, cracks in status quo. Some are holy; some are not. I believe the interruption at St Johns itself was not holy. AND I believe the response caused a most holy response. Faith can transform secular and even horrific events into holy and meaningful moments. The question becomes less about right and wrong and more about where is God in it? A holy pause, a listening for the still small voice, can take erratic behavior into the intentional considerate mode. 

I am not talking about justification or rationalization.

I am talking about going deeper with contemplation in the midst of fear, anger, and disgust. I am talking about the praying of the Serenity Prayer to refocus on that which we can control. We can name it. We can speak truth to power. We can lament and mourn and protest. 

It is then that an interruption becomes holy as it is drenched with prayer and faith, as it invokes the Holy Spirit.

While I do not suggest that any of these dangerous pandemic responses are wanted or needed, I do suggest that we can always find God in the midst of them. God outraged and sad is the accompaniment by Love which we seek and emerges in faithful patience. 

Holy interrruptions interrupt our lives but never the endless flow of grace. When an interruption becomes holy it is like an altar call and we drop to our knees, no matter who we are and give thanks for the eternal love.