‘Love thy neighbour’ is seen in responses to disasters
Jim Pilmer
Tragedy comes in many forms; sometimes due to earthquake, fire or flood, sometimes due to other kinds of deep personal loss. Our awareness of a world in pain, whether from conflicts overseas or the loss of life on our roads, is never too far below the surface.
The daily news cycle offers us a buffet of pain. How meaningful do all this pain and conflict seem to people of faith? Is it appropriate to ask difficult questions about death and violence, or should “religious” people hold their tongues about the apparent inconsistencies of maintaining a faith position in the face of such trauma?
For many of us, exploring our inner beliefs can be a relatively superficial pursuit until we are faced with personal grief, observing the aftermath of so-called pain. natural disasters or watching extremely disturbing images on the evening news. Then we can enter the area where we can label applied faith. At this point we face another potential cause of confusion, sometimes expressed as: absence of god.
Whether we are religious or not, we all carry some beliefs with us. These are shaped by our upbringing, our ethics, our morals, and our personal philosophies about life and meaning. Ask those who serve our community as police, paramedics, firefighters, or volunteers in various capacities; Some will share the fact that their work has changed their perspective on life, while others will easily state that they have been affected not only psychologically but also spiritually.
“Trauma-informed counselling” is now the term used to address such issues, but chaplains from a variety of faith backgrounds are increasingly involved to support both emergency service workers and members of the public. Vicarious grief and institutional grief are realities that impact individuals, communities, and workplaces.
I don’t claim that my faith isn’t challenged by tragedy, but there are many faith-renewing aspects of life that I don’t have the answers to, yet they speak of God working through others in supportive and restorative ways.
The selfless courage of those who risk their lives in dangerous situations, the compassion and interconnectedness of entire communities and towns in times of trouble; They all speak to me of an extraordinary collective determination to overcome, to heal, to support, to respect the wonder of life and the uniqueness of the individual.
Purpose and meaning can regain their vitality even when seemingly erased.
Renewing spiritual resilience after tragedy is inevitably a team effort; It is the product of loving our neighbor and allowing ourselves to be loved.
Jim Pilmer is a retired senior chaplain with Victoria Police.
