Lament

St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral Sunday I attended Mass with Kathryn at the Episcopal Catherdral in Seattle, Saint Marks. The large church building was on its way to becoming a full-fledged gothic cathedral when the depression hit. Years later, the decision was made to leave it as it was and use the millions of dollars completion would have cost for other, more worthy causes. As a result, the church is an interesting mix: Large windows that were to be stained glass, but that are filled with rectangular leaded panes of glass; the rafters can be seen high above where the ceiling would have been; only a few columns have been surrounded with finishing stone. Behind the altar has been ornamented with one of the few additions…a modern glass scultpure filling the space just in front of the plain glassed rose window.

During the service, an announcement was made that one of the church staff would be leaving for budgetary reasons. As one might expect, many parishoners had sent notes and emails, expressing their concern. The poeple were assured that all was well and that the person and familiy were “fine.” They were looking forward to a new ministry, thought as yet, they did not know what that would be. God will provide.

As we drove home, Kathryn and I discussed the theological concept of lament. Sometimes people are hesitant to share their saddness or pain, not wanting to appear to be “whiners” or ungrateful. Or worse yet, of little faith. In fact, lament is not any of those things.

“Hebrew Scriptures are full of lament,” my friend said as she explained more about the idea and how it might have been additionally helpful to the people in that morning’s congregation. Lament is a community experience, bringing people toegther in compassion. Sadness is acceptable. So is anger or frustration. God can handle all that, and by expressing such emotions, one is not rejecting faith, but rather acknowledging human emotions.

As in Psalms of lament, the one lamenting moves from expression of anger, despair, or frustration with a perceived lack of action on God’s part, to an expression of faith. I recently learned of a family whose young daughter was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and was surprised at the lack of “lament” in some of the communications I had read. They praised God for everything, for being with them, for their faith, for the fact that the cancer was more easily treated that some. Nowhere was there a hint of anger or frustration. I am not judging, and if I were is a similar situation, I might not put my anger out there for everyone to see. Still, as I read, the empahsis on praise and the lack of lament was striking. And in a similar way, so was the lack of expression of sadness at leaving the longtime congregation of the the church person who was soon to leave a job with nothing for sure on the horizon.

I am not saying that, faced with tragedy or hardship, we should wallow in self pity or allow anger and bitterness to take over. As I listened to my friend, I do think sharing very human emotions with a community helps us move beyond those feelings and into faith in a way that binds us all closer together and deepens the faith of all.

Lament.