Wednesday 11 July 2007

Today we will continue to look at components for the practice of hope. Walter Brueggeman shares his consideration about the particular shape of despair in dominant Western society. To this despair, we must respond in transformative ways.



"The surface antidote to such undeniable anxiety is that we do our best to remain smitten by commodities, for commodities not only keep the economy growing in ways that fund the technology, but soothe the human spirit into "happiness." The consequence, of course, is that as the security system leaves us insecure, so the happiness system leaves us unhappy.



Much like people who turn to drugs and alchohol and sex as ways to deal with the anxiety of our age, here we see how this is all clumped together under the category of commodities. It is as though we find benefit from being consumers who are just sure that the next thing we buy will make our lives just a bit more 'happy.' It may work. Unfortunately, it works only for a moment. It works like band-aid - it covers the hurt. Over the long haul, though, we spin into the same old abyss and become unable to sustain this 'happiness.' Maybe it is not that we cannot sustain the 'happiness' but rather that we cannot make the anxiety go away or be held back. Anxiety keeps pressing in on us. There is no magic to make it stop. We can face it. That is a beginning. We can simply help one another face the way we pursue happiness to simply push away our anxiety. We can help one another deal with life when we are unhappy and anxious - both quite normal life situations in which we all find ourselves at times. The church is to be a people who stand alongside one another during anxious times so that we come to understand the true experience of being happy - joy-filled and at peace. Otherwise, it is so easy to fall for this temptation of being smitten by commodities.



Connection: We do have options today when we are facing anxious times. Sometimes it is as close as sharing these times with others who are willing to be there with us. I still say this is what it is to be followers of Jesus - to be with one another through all times.



Come, Loving Lord, and enrich our days with the presence of you saints who are your agents of joy and celebration within a world that is so often an experience of anxiety, fear, and trembling. In the midst of your Spirit of new life, we will be upheld through all things. Amen.