In relation to the first theme, some religious people think that true “being” is connected with controlling genuine feelings, always being “nice”, being positive about everything so we don’t need to enter pain, fear, doubt and grief, imagining that we can protect ourselves from our own real feelings.
Over the decades, I have been taught by many inspiring friends and others that this is not truly “being” and that it is a life which actually lacks faith in an understanding and human God. It also takes away the true riches of authentic life, which holds within it all sorts of ups and downs and riches of response – wonderful laughing and crying, forgiving and encouraging.
Then, of course, for some of us there is another moment when we have to choose whether we will “be” when we face the fact that we are different from most others and that, if we “be” we may face criticism, rejection, and by some religious people, condemnation. That sort of claiming of “being’ can be costly for some of us. However, we are also called into this “being” in honour of our Creator who filled the universe with the wonder of diversity.
The second theme around “being” is, in my view, related to our part in helping to create a just and loving world. This is not simply about enhancing life for others, it is also connected with a grander way of “being” ourselves. It may demand courage and faithfulness from us in ways which invite punishing responses from those in power.
In some environments, it may invite the risking of life and liberty on behalf of others who suffer oppression, violence and need.
Many of us will be tempted not to “be” on various fronts. In our sort of society, it is all too easy to live superficially, consuming life, which brings us ease and pleasure, and taking little notice of what happens to others. This is a choosing to let some parts of us die.
In saying this, I am not suggesting that our lives should not be joyful on many fronts. To “be”, as a Christian or member of another faith, is not to deny or turn away from those parts of life, but to add to them in deeper ways.
We can both inspire each other to deeper and grander being and we can create a sacred space of love and care which allows us to go down into honesty about our failures, sharing of our fears and doubts, naming our hard questions for God and each other, entering of grief and pain so that we may discover comfort and healing, anger at what life delivers to us, and so on …
Then, we need to hold onto each other as we face the realities of the world and the community around us. This is about daring to believe that we can be part of the creating of a grander “being” in the way we live together.
“To be, or not to be. That is the question.” Indeed.
