Family or Rend and Repair

The family provides a place of deep comfort and healing in this fractured world. Confucius has a quote that paraphrased says that if we want to have a healthy country we must first have healthy families, and to have healthy families we must first be healthy ourselves. But how difficult this can be! Our families once disordered, no matter how much love they include, can often be such a deeply destructive force in our psyches that we have to climb huge mountains to be healthy ourselves. If we don't find healing we then bring that brokenness into the next generations of our families and continue this pattern of pain.

There is such pain in this world, such deep, deep pain, whether we look in war torn tribal areas, or peek behind white picket fences in the quiet suburbs.

I know. I know that Christ brings the redemption not only of the world in mass, but for each of us in particular. But, how does He choose to package that renewal? It obviously doesn't seem to come in one installment. Wham bam, I'm all better mam. Nope. That's not how I've seen it. How does He deliver His monthly installments of grace? Where are the streams in which the balms of Gilead flow, because I have a whole lot of people I want to send to them. I know that we are the Bride who stands with the Spirit and sings, Come, Come, Come to the living waters. But how is one to bathe in a stream that is so polluted by the Bride? I know we are God's hands but so often in our brokenness, despite our best intentions, our hands hold switchblades and we further rip rather than repair.


Thankfully, although Christ left us here to be His bodily representation after His ascension, He can still transcend our stumbling attempts to love. He can even fill our love so that it really does provide healing despite ourselves.

Considering my background I tend to mull over these questions quite a bit. I grew up a pastor's daughter who has seen my fair share of ugliness within the Church. I also got my undergrad degree in Christian Formation and Ministry. So, I ask these questions. I know that especially those in "high church" see the healing as coming mystically through the sacraments, and I believe this can be true. I know those in pentecostal churches think that you just need to pray or perhaps even pray in tongues to be given that healing, and I again believe that that can be true. But I have seen deeply committed Catholics and Protestants who wrestle with their wounds despite these measures.
I am not satisfied yet in my knowledge about how to be a conduit of God's love that will mend people's brokenness. But, considering the pain that I see multiplying and being passed down through this lack of healing, I am motivated to learn and grow in my ability to be a Peacemaker on earth. Whether it is from my living room or a literal battlefield I want to Live bringing life to those I touch.