A Holy Kind of Spirit

About fifteen years ago there arose a focus amongst younger clergy concerning “ministerial presence.” I even remember talking with a younger colleague who spoke of a “theology of presence.” I just didn’t know what she meant. Being liberal religionists the conversation was not about Christ’s immanence, but a more vague recognition of the power of simple human presence as critical to the pastoral moment, be that moment whatever it might be. Theologically it was closer to an understanding of the immanence of the Holy Spirit; the idea that when people are in close proximity to one another, especially during particularly stressful or traumatic times, and that closeness is characterized by a certain kind of care and concern and giving (a certain kind of “Covenant of Being,” as one theologian called it), then a Spirit leaps across the boundaries of personhood to connect us to one another in deeply meaningful ways. It is a unique feature of human existence that this kind of deep sharing and connection can occur. And it seems there is no better word to describe that than a “holy” kind of “Spirit.”

Comedian Woody Allen has been quoted as saying, “90% of life is just showing up,” and “80% of success is showing up.” Whatever the percentage, and whatever the effect, presence has certain qualities to it to which certain fruits can be attributed. This is apparent to ministers and educators, but maybe less so to others in our internet world. It’s a different experience to offer succor to someone in the hospital via a phone text. Likewise, it’s a different kind of class conversation conducted online.

Presence yields something more.

When one is present to and with another, one is vulnerable because of the face to face encounter. Body language and voice inflection give one up to those with eyes to see and ears to hear. The more there is at stake during the encounter, the more one wonders, “What should I say?” If you are “present” with someone who is facing a terminal illness or cancer diagnosis, or the loss of a spouse or child or marriage, or is at wits end as to how to help their children get their life back on track or what to do with “Mother’s mental demise,” your mind often races through all the scenarios of what to say, trying desperately to find those magical words which, set in perfect sequence, would restore order to chaos. Presence exacts something from us, as we extend ourselves to others and, by our care, help them shoulder an unimaginable burden. Empathy and sympathy are emotionally and physically painful and exhausting. Yet, if 90% of life and 80% of success, is showing up, the power of that “holy” kind of “Spirit,” which transforms us as we cannot transform ourselves, is 100% in our willingness to show up.

This may be an odd commentary on a Facebook driven world.

At 56 years of age I am just inside the Baby Boomer demographic, and it is true that we are the “Me Generation.” But today, life is driven by the “Look at Me Generation,” embodied by Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Web Sites, Streaming, and YouTube; even blogs, I am afraid, which this is one! This is not the kind of presence to which my younger colleagues fifteen years ago were referring. It is more the “advertisement of Me,” be that “Me” an individual, institution, or organization. And those wonders of the internet world have a usefulness in terms of disseminating information. But, it is not presence, and most importantly, none provide the conditions for that “holy” kind of “Spirit” tied to face-to-face, human contact. There is a kind of hug that gives another permission to let go emotionally without fear that the chaos of unrestrained sentiment will swallow one up. There is a way to shake someone’s hand that gives to them an affirmation of self, of being looked straight in the eye and acknowledged, that no other form of human contact can conjure up. There is something about another individual calling us by name, and being with us to hear what our experience, and interpretation of our experience, is. It’s not rocket science or magic, but it is the healing presence of a “holy” kind of “Spirit” that is carried like an electric current, between two people and, in rare instances and in the best of ways, through gathered groups at certain times and places.