Quoting scripture in times of crisis

[Guest guest]

Dear ones, these Amma lists have been so thought-provoking of late! One thing I

couldn't

help being reminded of with this call for scriptural verses is my training in

ecumenical

hospital chaplaincy. Personally, while I love sharing with others verses that

have moved

me, it's never really been my inclination to do that with people I don't know

during their

times of crisis -- especially if I don't know where they are, emotionally and

spiritually. The

right verse at the right time can be deeply, powerfully uplifting. The wrong

verse at the

wrong time (or even the right verse at the wrong time!) can be profoundly

alienating. The

danger, especially at a time where even religious people might be having issues

with God,

is that quoting verses in this way can come across as preachy or pat, even when

it's not

meant as such. I remember watching the clergy and seminarians in my chaplaincy

training

group having to unlearn this tendency to offer such verses as comfort and learn

how to

simply be with people where they are in their suffering, to be a compassionate

witness and

to let the love of God as promised in these verses simply flow through that

connection.

This isn't to say that it's an inherently bad idea to send/include scriptural

verses to Katrina

survivors (some may, indeed, really value that), but it is something for

consideration.

 

Sincerely,

Iswari