One of the benefits of being a part of the Prayer Circle is receiving the e-mail letter with updates sent out from Glasgow Scotland by the Circle's coordinator, Chris Polhill. Chris often has some real wisdom to share. Last week I got the June edition of the letter, and was especially struck by part of what Chris had to say: "Fear," wrote Chris, "is a reasonable emotion for life in the time of a pandemic, it motivates us to live more safely and leads us to be more compliant with advice and rules . . . It is not a very healthy or uplifting emotion however, and the relaxing of it allows space for other emotions to surface." Emotions, Chris goes on to say, like anger.
There seems to have been a lot of anger about masks in this country. I know there have been fights over them on airplanes and in stores. Fortunately there have not been such outbursts here at church. This past Sunday I was able to announce that we are changing our mask policy to coincide with the CDC recommendation that those who are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to wear masks in worship. It was received with applause. But I also said we continue to recommend that those who are not vaccinated do wear masks. I wonder if that made anyone angry? I hope
not. It is being offered up for the good of those who are unvaccinated as well as the community at large.
Perhaps we would all do well to closely monitor our own emotions as the fear engendered by the pandemic begins to wane. And if we find ourselves feeling anger, perhaps we can follow the good advice offered up by Chris in that same letter. It is my view that the safest place for anger is before God." In other words, pray your anger. Shout at God. Punch a pillow as you mutter your words of anger to the Holy One. For God can handle it. As Chris writes, "God absorbs our anger and continues to love us." And that is good news!
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