Recently I was reading a book by Henri Nouwen in which he recounts his experiences with mentally handicapped and mentally unstable people. He was quick to point out from the start that the reader should be on guard against any notion of sentimentality. It is so easy to idealise situations, which however, once you get your feet firmly on the ground make you realise that their reality is anything but sentimental.
To stress the point he recounted an episode about an inmate from a mental hospital whom Henri had taken in for a short period at his flat. On the third day of his stay, Henri returned home to find his bedroom walls spattered with sh_t. A whole afternoon spent washing down the walls with disinfectant convinced him that such work required a solid down to earth attitude. No room for sentimentality here !
I reflected at length on this episode. Various incidents flashed before my eyes. Moments of hurt feelings, humiliations, unpleasant encounters with different people on different occasions. Vivid memories, at school, at work, within our Community, at home. In such moments, love of neighbour is put to the test to its very limits. It brings to mind somewhat harshly that even in this matter, there is little room for sentimentality. The facts are harsh, deprived of sweetness, religious pomp, piety…
In moments like these you realise that this is the moment of truth. This is where love is put to the test.
I am certainly not talking about myself. I am fully aware that in the moment of trial I am invariably found lacking in love.
No. This is the moment when Jesus Christ is put to the test. In such moments He has to prove Himself in me, just as I am in all my weakness. He has to prove that He really was put to death …but rose again...! And likewise, in my very own self he can bring out Life from instances of death !
This is the moment when Faith comes to life. Where the impossible becomes possible notwithstanding our human weakness and frailty…
This is the moment when I come to believe in the Resurrection because I actually see the impossible happen, when I see love for neighbour in response to hurt, in response to anger, in response to violence…Now I can truly say that I believe, yes, I believe that Jesus Christ overcame death. Now I can say that Jesus really rose from the death.
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