CRISIS MOMENT…RESOLVED I am still processing our visit with Dad yesterday afternoon at the deepest soul level. He was disheveled and poorly groomed, which is very uncharacteristic. His hair was uncombed. He did not recognize Kevin or Kristen. He did not recognize Emmie. Never having had the experience of being a grandparent, Addison and Emmie have been very special to him. Since they are my godchildren, he used to tease that this made them his “godgrandchildren.” He referred to himself as their “godgrand,” and always lit up like a Christmas tree at the sight of them or at the mere mention of their names. Kristen has always doted on Dad: giving him VIP treatment at her shows; calling him on his birthday or on Father’s Day or “just because,” and has endeared herself to him in a very special way. Dad has adored her from the time he first met her, and truly thought of her as a part of the family. This complete lack of recognition yesterday was a “down” moment for me, and a particularly depressing one. Lately I have been pondering this “lack of remembrance” theologically, and it has wreaked havoc for me spiritually. The Bible echoes repeatedly the importance of REMEMBRANCE. In fact, Sefer Dukhrania, or “The Book of Remembrance,” is the name given to the Torah by the Aramaic translations from the land of Israel. That name is a proper and fitting application of what Moses said in the poem “Haazinu,” in which he commanded Israel, “Remember the days of old” (Deuteronomy 32:7) The root z-kh-r (“to remember”) appears in the Bible in the form of a verb over 200 times. The noun “zekher” (remembrance) and “zikaron” (memory) are also derived from this root. There are numerous examples throughout the Bible of the significance and importance of remembering names, people, and events as a part of healthy, prescribed spirituality. Over and over again we are commanded, “Remember.” The book of Deuteronomy especially places emphasis on the importance of the preservation of our memories: “But take utmost care and watch yourselves scrupulously, so that you do not forget the things that you saw with your own eyes and so that they do not fade from your mind as long as you live” (Deuteronomy 4:9). To aid in the act and intentionality of remembrance, a variety of God-ordained institutions or practices were established. For example, memorial stones were often placed at significant places to commemorate important or meaningful events. Feast days were established to incorporate the purposeful re-telling of significant stories; such as Passover, commanded annually to remember and re-tell the story of the deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. In each generation, Jews celebrating the Passover regard themselves as having been personally brought out of Egypt. They relive, in a sense, the experience of their ancestors and are thus able to trust in present and future deliverance. Similarly, the annual festival of Shavuot (Pentecost) is a time when Jews picture themselves as standing at the foot of Mt. Sinai and personally receiving the Torah from God. Christians, on the other hand, think back to the great miracle that took place with the powerful manifestation of the Holy Spirit described in Acts 2. In the “remembering,” we pray for the continued guidance and power of the Spirit in our lives. There is no mistaking the important Biblical concept of remembrance. Even Jesus Himself said, “Do this in REMEMBRANCE of Me.” What happens, then, when an ugly disease such as Alzheimer’s destroys one’s capability to follow the biblical command to “remember?” What happens when your memory deteriorates and your ability to remember erodes and wastes away? Fortunately, my deep-thinking friend Jack Getz was able to help me through this very human “crisis of faith.” He pointed out that the Hebrew word for soul, “nephesh,” illustrates multiple “overtones of meaning” associated with humanity: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, and passion. And as his book (Praying When Prayer Doesn’t Work) points out, it is particularly interesting that the scriptures describe the mind and will of both God and man with the same word: soul. Jack points out that in the New Testament, the word for soul is “psyche,” which means “to breathe.” Astutely, Jack reminded me that both Testaments agree that the human soul is the force and source of life that plays the lead role in everyone’s story. The soul is the repository of feelings, emotions, knowledge, experience, attitudes, creativity, and thoughts. At the cognitive level, my Dad’s memory is a hit-and-miss mess. His brain no longer fires on all cylinders. His memory is shot. But praise God that his SOUL is the force and source of life that plays the lead role in my Dad’s story. And his soul is a very safe repository of all his emotions and of all his knowledge. No, Dad’s mind didn’t recognize Kevin, Kristen, or Emmie; and very often, even me. But his soul does…and always will. And I realize now, and believe from the bottom of my heart, that Dad’s soul is faithful to remember and praise the God he has served faithfully my entire life. Dad’s soul, rather than his mind, is playing the leading role. Thanks, Jack! You’re a great and helpful friend. Crisis moment resolved, thanks to you.
Posted on: Tue, 01 Apr 2014 21:02:56 +0000
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