I discovered a long time ago that I cannot do rollercoasters. My body does not translate physical terror, however intentional and “safe”, as entertainment. BUT I don’t want to be left out of the fun, so I have gone along with friends to stand in line with them, watch them ride whatever horrifying thing they want to ride, and be there to celebrate in all the joy that bubbles out of them afterward. I want to be part of the fun without traumatizing my poor, delicate-flower nervous system. So, I just go, keep my feet on the earth, and enjoy the “ride” from the ground.

Likewise, in our lives, there are folks who go on emotional rollercoaster rides that we may learn over time are more exaggerated than they need to be. And there are folks in our media and political worlds who also want to take us on rollercoaster rides of fear and distrust for their own profit or agendas. And there are people prophesying a fair amount these days about the end times with plenty of folks believing that this time, for real, the end is nigh. Another big rollercoaster when that day comes and goes without a whisper of holy war on the planet.

No matter the rollercoaster, I’m happiest when I manage to keep my feet on the earth as I watch others ride these big rollercoasters. Sometimes it’s fun, a lot of times its less fun. These unfun sorts of rollercoasters tend to leave us depleted physically, emotionally, spiritually, and maybe even financially depending on how much money those end-times preachers suggested was necessary to secure your place in heaven.

Our texts today are all about keeping our feet on the ground, keeping our hearts focused on God in times of apocalypse and endings. The Luke text was written after the Jewish temple had been destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, so the people reading this were not reading it as prophecy for the future, but reading it within the context of dealing with the aftermath of the apocalyptic reality that they were living through.

Their apocalypse had already come. They were hoping for a world of political and financial freedom from the Romans with God safely and wonderfully housed in the temple. That was the hope of the people during Jesus’ life. What they got a few years later was devastation. What they got was a cruel crackdown by the Romans in response to their rebellion. What they got was the destruction of God’s home. This gospel we read today was written for people living in that devastation. So, what is the good and hopeful Word here?

Well, the good news is here even if it seems a bit buried. Jesus tells us that there will be a day when the temples we construct will fall. The constructions of our lives will eventually fall. He continues to tell us there will be wars, famine, plagues, and earthquakes. These things will happen. We will be in trouble. We will all suffer personal and shared apocalypses. And in the midst of all that difficulty, there will be people who are ready, willing, and able to use these times apocalypse and endings to take you on a rollercoaster ride for their own ends.

So, to summarize, many of the externalities you prize in your life will fall away. You will suffer. And there will be people who will work to take advantage of that. Awesome.  Thanks, Jesus, for the good news!

The strange thing is, this is Good News to the ones who have suffered the apocalypse. It is good news to be told that your experience of suffering is normal, expected, and not surprising. It’s good news to hear that it’s not just you that unscrupulous folks seem to target when you’re down. It’s good news to hear that this isn’t personal, but this is normal and part of life. It may not be pleasant, but your personal apocalypse is also a part of this world. It is part of reality, which is a reality that God made which is also full of goodness along with all the heartache.

This past Thursday, the Grief Group, that was so well and lovingly led by Barbara Weaver, had its last learning session. This week we’ll get to share a meal, including Jeremy’s amazing smoked meat, for our “graduation.” For this workshop, we used a highly recommended book called Understanding Your Grief along with a journal. This book basically teaches people about what grief is like such as the physicality of grief and how it changes your capability to think, remember, get out the door with clean clothes on, etc. There were no silver bullets to help folks “get over” or “get through” their grief. The materials just name what it’s like so that you can feel less alone and crazy. The workbook asks you questions to help you describe your own experience. Basically, these materials help you to become more aware of yourself, your experience, and that your experience is a universal experience of people since the beginning of time.  

Now, that may not seem very helpful or healing necessarily, but I can tell you from witnessing our attendees share from week to week, they began to feel connected, steadier, more able to talk about future plans, and begin to imagine their futures with less fear and dread. It was and is a beautiful thing to behold. Between the materials and Barbara’s leadership, people got to describe their experience and feel validated that their experience makes sense in the context of human experience and history. This group helped these folks get their feet back on the ground.

The grief isn’t done nor may it ever really be, but the terrifying rollercoaster ride of their personal apocalypses has calmed way down because, in large part, their experience was named and described as part of the human experience.

So too with our gospel today, Jesus says your temples will fall, earthquakes will shake, wars will break out, and yet the Lord our God is present. We do not need to be afraid. We do not need to brace ourselves for the struggle. We don’t need to line up our arguments just so.

What we need to do is to keep our feet on the earth, grounded in our faith and in our relationship with God and we will be provided the wisdom and power to meet the moment. Through the promise of death and resurrection, not a hair on our heads will perish and through all this, we will gain our souls.

In the last chapter of the book, there’s a quote by Kubler-Ross that says, “….”

We do not choose ever to suffer our personal or shared apocalypses, these ragged and painful endings to what is good and stable and sure in our lives. We don’t ever choose that, but these endings are a part of our lives and they belong in our lives. They are a part of how we are formed by Christ as we walk through devastating or scary days.

So, wherever there is fear in your life, wherever there is suffering or grief or rage, however you find yourself in a personal apocalypse, these dread times are a part of life. They belong, mysteriously enough. Through Christ, there is renewal and new life. And in this process we gain our souls. Even if you’re not personally in times of suffering at the moment, we all know someone who is, I have no doubt. So, as you are able, keep your feet on the ground, resist those unholy rollercoasters, and ground your heart and soul in love and faith so that we may be able to walk with others in compassion and solidarity. We are the body of Christ in this world, for the sake of ourselves and all people.

AMEN