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During a recent dental appointment, while my mouth was hanging open and water was shooting at my teeth, it occurred to me that the word hygiene is widely applicable. It is defined as “conditions or practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease, especially through cleanliness.” Once, I went to meet a new therapist whose offices were in a part of the clinic entitled 'Mental Hygiene'. I wondered if they were playing around with mental instead of dental, but no, hygiene isn’t just about teeth.
I’ve been thinking about my own propensity toward disease lately. Some relationships in my life don’t feel as healthy as I’d like. Some of my habits are not great. Time to look inward. Do you feel the same? The word hygiene comes from a French word, which came from a Latin word that came from a Greek word that mean healthy, sound, or wholesome. It is an intentional practice of things that support our health. Spiritual hygiene matters too! When we neglect our spiritual lives and our relationship with God, we are harmed. Diseased spirituality can be damaging. It might cause us to think that God has it out for us when bad things happen. It might cause us to expect God to fulfill a bargain or demand. There are plenty of examples of abuse and exploitation done in God’s name and within spiritual communities because of spiritual disease. So how do we practice spiritual hygiene? As individuals, these exercises keep our spiritual life healthy:
The great news is that spiritual hygiene brings mental hygiene, and maybe even dental hygiene! But maybe that’s a bridge too far. (Get it?? I’m rooting for you!) All this to say, be well my friend. And may we together, be well. --- Pastor Rebecca
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 Did you know that St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, may have been the first to understand the power of not 'yucking someone’s yum'? St Ignatius didn’t use those terms. He called them desolations and consolations and offered them as guidelines for deepening one’s spiritual life and making decisions. I find these categories to be hugely helpful for both big decisions and daily life. It's important to know what replenishes us and what depletes!
But it's not always obvious which is which. Maybe this will help: Consolation/Yum! In Ignatian spirituality, consolation refers to experiences that move a person closer to God and help them recognize God's presence. Signs that a person, event, ritual or place provides you with consolation might include:
Desolation/Yuck! On the other hand, desolation refers to experiences that pull a person away from God, leaving them feeling distant or disconnected. People, places, activities or rituals that cause desolation leave us feeling
Ignatius taught that desolation is part of the spiritual journey, but it should not be allowed to become permanent. It is an opportunity for growth. At the very least, we get ourselves out of the yuck and then evaluate what it was we just stepped in. We reflect on why we are having that reaction, what it reveals about our inner selves. After we examine it, we may need to avoiding that thing, or address that person, or and create a boundary around our level of exposure. On the flip side, when we know our consolations, we know how to access replenishment when the yuck is too much. Both our consolations and our desolations are means to know ourselves and God better. I encourage you to do as St. Ignatius taught his followers. Examine your life and name your yums and yucks. The more you do it, the more you will know yourself and grow yourself. Always a good thing! Pastor Rebecca *this essay began with ChatGBT and was lovingly massaged for personalization and clarity.  In my devotions recently, I was struck by the Psalmist urging us to ‘be of good courage. (Psalm 27:14, Psalm 31:24). What does it mean to BE of good courage?
Being of good courage means having the inner strength to face danger and difficulty without fear, and instead with confidence, calmness, and trust. It can also mean having the determination to not let fear stop you from doing something. That can only be achieved if you trust that someone greater, more capable, and more prepared has got your back. People of faith name that person as God. Here are some ways to cultivate BEING of good courage:
An influential Rabbi from the 19th Century, Israel Salanter, said that courage must be cultivated daily. This list is a start in that direction. There are so many things to fear, but God is able to hold us steady in the midst of them. May we not be dismayed or afraid, because God is always with us, always upholding and sustaining. Be of good courage!  Our church community welcomes and cares for the most vulnerable, least loved people in our country: those who have substance disorders. This is something that makes me happy and literally challenges the hell out of me.
Addiction causes people to burn every bridge and then simply burn. The chaos of their disease gets strewn across our church lawn and in our alley. Sadly, many who have come through our doors are now dead from overdose. Last year, in our city, 483 people died this way. Active users of opioids live in a terrible kind of hell: desperate for more, dope sick or high. That relentless cycle is the lens through which their reality is filtered. It's a horrible grind for them, and affects those around them. Including our parish. Our community offers a few tools that help reduce harm and points toward help but that is the best we can do. Our call is to embody the love of Jesus for these, our neighbors, and everyone else. I write this having come back from our church building where I added chains and locks to two gates and to the stairwell to the basement where folks have been defecating. This is part of the grind. It's tough and sometimes gross. You may have noticed that most park bathrooms are not public anymore. No one wants to deal with the chaos and mess caused by this disease. They just want it to disappear. And last year, 483 of the sufferers did. It’s not always clear how to care for our neighbors and protect our property and welcome visitors who need time to understand what we do here. Here is a truth that guides me: Jesus did not make it easy for folks to stay sick. He healed them, he invited them to change, he set the boundary. He asked the disabled man by the pool of Bethsaida, “Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6) He told the wealthy man who wanted a spiritual inheritance to give the material goods away (Matthew 19:16f). He broke bread with sinners, but he also broke their easy excuses and told them to change their behaviors(John 8:11). The foundational question is: “Do you want to be well?” We all need healing in one way or another. The good news is that Jesus shows us how to heal. And sometimes, we heal by learning how to be well while tending for the sick. That's what Jesus did. His wholeness taught the rest of us that there is life after death. That there is no chain that God’s love can’t break. That in him, healing is just as infectious as the disease. When we are well in our approach to loving others, we are better healers. The clearer we are in our role, the better able we are to stand in the gap for one another. We trust that God’s healing is coming and God’s help is already here. Someday, every person struggling with opioids or other addictions will be free, every wound will be healed, every broken relationship restored. I’m challenged by and grateful for the work we do together. Thank you for widening the circle so that everyone finds welcome. It's not easy work, it's work that matters for eternity. -- Pastor Rebecca |
AuthorMost of the blog articles are written by our Rector, The Rev. Rebecca Ragland Archives
September 2024
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