Responsible to all for all

Friday 26th February, 2021

I know one needs to remain above the hell of emotional reaction to the news but another abduction of young women and pupils in Nigeria makes one feel deeply troubled. Why is there so much hell, so much apparent evil, such ghastly human actions against other humans? What is it in man that leads him to be capable of huge generosity and beauty and love and yet also such depths of hatred, depravity and horror? It is the real world and I must look it in the eye. I want to run and hide, and at times I do, but I know St Paul was right when he wrote that we are all responsible to all for all. Somehow I am a part of the whole and somehow I need to effect it, to participate, to be counted. Yet at times I feel desperate and unkempt as to what to do or how. Yes, there is huge good also but that game of equalling bad deeds with good deeds is foolish. Jesus said that what you do to the least of these you do also to me. So if people are hungry, abducted, tortured, killed, traduced then some how we are all diminished. I sit in horrified silence.

Here in Scotland the day was pure Spring. The wind had fallen, the sun was out, the day was still and inviting. So I went off on my favourite walk down the Fife Coastal path by the Tay and to Tayport. Perfect and even the detritus I picked up did not upset me as much as usual. I found a new way down next to the water, moving between coves, discovering quiet sea lapping beaches and seeing the antics of the waders, the gulls and even the porpoises at a distance.

I found a narrow path and followed it toward Tentsmuir forest. I came across a bench bathed in sunshine and sat, sat and listened, sat and looked, sat and thought, sat and simply demanded myself to hope, to trust and to believe. I will not give up on the human, I will not give up on good, I will not give up that most sacred of human virtues love coupled with forgiveness and hope.

I also did more laundry. It dried rapidly on the line and I collected it as the wind rose and the sun began to set. The sun had sparkled on the Tay, it had caught the crocuses, snowdrops and burgeoning daffodil pods and it sparkled in me. As it set it reinforced it dazzling qualities and colours. Please God help all those in distress. That includes as of ten minutes ago an elderly friend of 80 taken to hospital with peritonitis. The email from a mutual friend simply read "pray for him for the doctors feel it may be his last hour'.

So be it. Amen to life but not amen to despair, distrust or disbelief for they are the way of failure and cowardice. We are made of sterner stuff and take on the responsibility to be all things to all men.