REMEMBERING THE ISOLATED

Young Adult Scripture Reflection

By Br. Simon Herrmann

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Scripture:

Isaiah 30:12-15

12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel:
Because you reject this word,
    and put your trust in oppression and deceit,
    and rely on them;
13 therefore this iniquity shall become for you
    like a break in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse,
    whose crash comes suddenly, in an instant;
14 its breaking is like that of a potter’s vessel
    that is smashed so ruthlessly
that among its fragments not a sherd is found
    for taking fire from the hearth,
    or dipping water out of the cistern.

15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
In returning and rest you shall be saved;
    in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.

Reflection

            I was driving to pick up my new glasses in a town nearby our monastery the other day. (Don’t worry, they brought my glasses out to the car, and they will adjust them at a safer time.) Life in our area has been rapidly moving toward a stay-at-home order. There was a flurry of activity as folks seemed to be rushing around, I suspect, to stock up on home essentials. What really caught my attention in what could be my last time out in a while was a snippet of the radio broadcast. The local news station suggested that we should practice physical distancing but not social distancing. Language matters! When we ponder “social distancing” it almost has a negative, isolative aspect to it. When I think in terms of “physical distancing”, I am more optimistic in what this time can hold for us in our relationship with God and one another.

            For many of us, this “stay-at-home” time came upon us like a suddenly crashing wall or like a potter’s jar that fell and crashed into unusable pieces. How do we make sense of our current, physically distanced situations? How do we make sense of the anxiety many of us are feeling of the unknown: about our health, our loved one’s health, our finances, our jobs, the toilet paper (!)? The prophet Isaiah leads us in a good direction, counseling that this is what God wants of us: “In returning and rest you shall be saved;/in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”

            When life seems to be clattering around us, in us, by us, through us, God is saying: “Turn, as best as you are able, to me – find rest in me. When you turn to me, there I will guide you with gentleness and quietness, there I will nourish your heart with my love so that you may grow in the trust and strength you need to follow me.” Take a deep, fully body breath. Read that again: “Turn, as best as you are able, to me – find rest in me. When you turn to me, there I will guide you with gentleness and quietness, there I will nourish your heart with my love so that you may grow in the trust and strength you need to follow me.”

            God is giving us a creative energy in our stay-at-home cloisters. That trust and strength from the quiet and from the rest, what can we do with that? Though we may be physically distanced from our family, friends, and coworkers, there are many opportunities to help others through social connection. The love and peace we find in the quiet time with God, we can pour out to others. One example from my own life: I have a relative who is in AA. Many of his in-person meetings have been cancelled. So, we, at his creative instigation, will video chat once a week and talk about Scripture or a reflection from some of his addiction prevention material. Perhaps you can leave a note, a drawing, or a painting at your neighbor’s door, or you can check in on your neighbors who might have travel limitations to see if they need anything. There are so many creative possibilities! So, let’s change the language. Yes, let us keep our physical distance for the time being, but let us be open to the quiet and restful ways God is strengthening our hearts and our bodies to be socially active for those in need around us.

Reflection Questions

What is one area in your life where you are seeking God’s help for peace, trust, and strength? Spend time in quiet prayer, resting in the comfort of God allowing him to give you what you need.

Think of a really close friend or family member … In what way would that friend or family member encourage you in your creative efforts to share God’s love with others?

Brother Simon is a solemnly professed monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey. In addition to his seminary studies, he enjoys young adult ministry, beekeeping, sandstone blasting, cutting the grass, reading, sports, and playing Xbox.