Speaking of Autonomy...

June 28, 2022

My life goes on in endless song
Above earth's lamentations,
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation.
 
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear its music ringing,
It sounds an echo in my soul.
How can I keep from singing?
 
While though the tempest loudly roars,
I hear the truth, it liveth.
And though the darkness 'round me close,
Songs in the night it giveth.
 
No storm can shake my inmost calm,
While to that rock I'm clinging.
Since love is lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?
 
When tyrants tremble in their fear
And hear their death knell ringing,
When friends rejoice both far and near
How can I keep from singing?
 
In prison cell and dungeon vile
Our thoughts to them are winging,
When friends by shame are undefiled
How can I keep from singing?

Beloved:​

          Every verse of this hymn speaks to me when my heart feels bruised and broken by the meanness of the world.  It comes to me when I am hurting, for the world and for myself.  It comes to me again these days in which I feel so terribly betrayed by my country. The recent ruling from the supreme court makes me sad, so very, very sad.  Abortion has to be legal, safe and accessible everywhere, else poor women will suffer and die.  Children will suffer and die.  Not because I say so but because history bears it out.  But even that is not what makes me saddest about the recent court decision. 
          I’m saddest of all because in my heart of hearts I believe every human being is born with the God-given right to govern the territory within the borders of their own skin.  And now, with this SCOTUS decision, our God-given birthright was annexed from half of the U.S. population.  Our bodily autonomy has been taken into custody of the government.  It is the stuff of dystopian novels and movies.  Except that it’s real, and right now.  And very likely to get worse. Some say it won’t apply to people like me and mine, because we are people of privilege, with the means to outmaneuver the ruling.  That the poor will pay and suffer most does not make the decision less sad to me, less a terror or an offense to me.
          I know my job but truthfully, I’m still very much struggling to find my way through. As a Baptist, I’ve often spoken of our spiritual (or soul) autonomy, that connection to God between which no priest or pastor is necessary for commuting grace.  I’m not sure there’s any light between spiritual and bodily autonomy.  And yet, suddenly into that non-existent space an entire government has forced itself.  And the women I talk to all feel violated, to say the least.  Assaulted is not too strong a word.  Every one of us has been preyed on at one time or another, by someone who believed he had some right to our body. Now an entire government?
          I don’t always know a good word to share, at least one from my own heart.  Hope is all there is to reach for sometimes, the memory and the faith that not everything has been revealed, including our own resilience and faith.  Some times require that we sit in the grief and the unknowing for a while, gathering our thoughts, connecting to the spirit which connects us one to another.  Until such a time that we are ready to rise.  Thank goodness for the songs that come to us while we wait.
          One blessing is this gentle weather day.  I pray you find some joy in it.  

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM8mOKfxmWw ~ a very dated music video but a lovely recording of the hymn by Enya.