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Dear San Marco Church Family: Recently, a friend gifted me a book that I am enjoying immensely. The book is entitled “The Myth of Normal” by Gabor Mate. The writer is a Canadian physician, and the book examines how our environment, culture, and social circumstances impact our physical and mental health. The book is not a book about faith, but its implications certainly affirm the idea that our faith and spiritual lives influence our overall health, both physical and mental. The book’s subtitle is “Trauma, illness and healing in a toxic culture.” A powerful insight from the book is that contrary to many common assumptions, there is very little evidence that the sources of various mental illnesses are primarily genetic or physiological. While Dr. Mate supports the use of medications for various physical and mental illnesses, he emphasizes that medical science tends to ignore the powerful effects of traumatic experiences and social alienation and isolation in our lives. The more self-aware we are of our needs and our scars in life, the more healthy we may become. Mate writes that “qualities like love, trust, caring, social conscience, and engagement are inevitable casualties…….of a culture that prizes acquisition above all else.” This critique of our modern, western capitalist culture resonates with everything I see daily in the news. However, there is good news! As followers of Jesus, we have a church community, both locally and globally, whose mission it is to promote the love of God and our fellow human beings. We profess faith in a God who exists in relationship, as the Holy Trinity. The concept of rugged individualism is not a concept that Jesus embraces. Rather, Jesus reminds us that we need each other, and that our calling is to serve one another. Part of that service includes the practice of honest inquiry and sharing of the struggles that we all face. Healing and hope begin when we name our hurts and acknowledge how desperately we crave the love of God and the healing power of Christ. This is critical for all of us. If you are struggling today for any reason, I encourage you to reach out to someone you trust and be honest about your challenges. Pray for God to send you the right guidance, through the (sometimes unlikely) messengers that God may choose. Do not try to carry your burdens alone. We were never meant to live like that, no matter how much our culture may suggest otherwise. Thank you for your ongoing prayers for San Marco Church. This Sunday, November 9, I look forward to sharing a message based upon Luke 20: 27-38. The message is entitled “Funny You Should Ask…”. I look forward to seeing you Sunday! Steve Hart
stevehart100@gmail.com
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