Whatever you do, keep holding hands.

Whatever you do, keep holding hands.

One of the most poignant effects of mobile phones is what happens when people get caught in disasters.  Facing their death, they ring their loved ones to tell them how much they love them.  Like most of us, they probably went through life taking the next day for granted and in that mindset would have had all the usual discussions and disagreements with the ones they love.  Now with only a few moments left they want to convey all the preciousness of their love.  No-one ever rings to have the last word in an argument.

This experience raises the question: how are we to go through life, expressing our love, yet still having all the problems that normal relationships entail.   I heard of a practice of Marriage Encounter. At one stage in that programme, the couple were to sit holding hands and then they could say whatever they wanted or needed to say to each other – so long as they kept holding hands. The holding of hands expressed a love deeper than any pain or hurt that may have been expressed. In our life together, we need small rituals like this to convey to each other that our love transcends any ‘problems’ that arise between us.  So if we never get the chance to make that final call, our love still would have been expressed.

We need that too in our relationship with God.  At times we do not like what God is doing in our lives, and we need to be frank about how we feel, so long as we keep holding hands with God.  No matter what we say or do, we can be assured God will never drop our hands. 

Loving God you want us to love like you.. Send us your Spirit to strengthen our love so that whatever difficulties we face we may continue ‘to hold hands’ with each other in love. We ask this in Jesus’ name, confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb