Pause for Thought

Jonathan Simon, Church of the Sacred Heart and St Aldhelm, Sherborne

People like anniversaries. We remember, and celebrate, weddings, birthdays, religious festivals, mothers, fathers, and more. We remember when our loved ones died, and when wars ended. And for most of these occasions, we contact each other; making phone calls, sending cards, visiting. Often, we celebrate together with parties – big parties, small parties, or a quiet meal together. Everywhere in the world, this is what people do. Partly, of course, the purpose is to remember an event, but we are also building and strengthening and remembering that we are a community. We don’t consciously think let’s strengthen our family with a wedding anniversary party, but having the party does bring us together, strengthening the bonds between us. Whatever sort of communities we are part of, they are all built on shared experiences. Whether it’s a family, sports club, reading group, a church, or our workplace: we human beings want, and need, to build friendly relationships with each other.

As we celebrate an event again and again throughout our lives, the community we celebrate with changes: some die, or move away, or are unable to be with us – for all sorts of reasons – or we move to another place, or another country. We meet others who we invite into our lives; others invite us into their lives. All community groups change because people change and grow; but we still join and celebrate together because that’s what human beings are like; that is part of what it means to be human.

At the beginning of the Bible, after the story of God creating the universe, the world, the plants, the animals, and mankind, God says, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone’. As it does so often, the wisdom in the Bible uses very simple words to convey essential truths about us, and about our relationships.

One of the standard punishments used throughout the world from time immemorial has been ostracism, banishment, or solitary confinement. Over the time of this pandemic, many people have had to live in isolation, and we know that many have suffered mentally as a result. Those of us who have not been living alone have still been affected by feeling cut off from many of the contacts with family, friends, or just other people in general.

We can’t change what’s happened in this pandemic, and we can’t be sure that it won’t happen again. And anyway, there are always going to be people whose circumstances mean that they are lonely. Our hearts are touched by the suffering of others because we are human, and throughout this time, we have seen more than we want to of the suffering of isolation. I know that I am not the only person who finds it difficult to reach out to those that we don’t know yet. But if I don’t make contact, and build a relationship with someone, how could I ever become their friend?

So, if I am really concerned about the isolation and suffering of other people, can I be brave enough to do something about it for a few of those around me?

sherbornecatholicchurch.org.uk