Our lives are real and our concerns touch us concretely. In the last few days I have met several people who told me of their sufferings in Zimbabwe today. Their troubles seem especially painful. So there is no way I am going to use Plato to liken their woes to mere shadows. It would be an outrage to bring a spiritual solution to a physical problem.
But sometimes we do not see the reality behind our painful woes. We only see the woe itself. We cannot see beyond it because the pain is just too great. It is hard to pray when you have a severe toothache. It would be better to go to a dentist.
Yet we must not miss the reality hidden in the pain. If you read the prophets rapidly you will get nothing from them. But if you ponder them a little a whole new vision emerges. They wrote in a time when hope was almost extinguished in Israel. Take Zechariah, for example; “Rejoice, heart and soul, daughter of Zion. See now how your king comes, riding a donkey. He will proclaim peace for the nations.” (9:9-10).
What is he talking about? Does it make any sense? Is it a sniff of opium to keep the people happy and docile in a time of great trial? No! It is the dazzling reality of God’s promise that we can hold on to despite the weight of our troubles. This is not pious nonsense but a hope that Paul held to in the midst of being flogged, stoned, shipwrecked, famished, cold, betrayed and all the rest (2 Cor.11).
This is the reality behind the words, “come to me all you who are overburdened for my yoke is easy and my burden light.” (Mt 11:30). It is easy to say these things but I do not apologise for going so. A number of films, books and songs today say the same. It doesn’t soften the pain but it gives hope that all this suffering will bear fruit in new life and joy, if we can free ourselves from our shackles and turn and see the reality.
Post published in: Faith