Thorton Wilder's book The Bridge of San Luis Rey, tells the sad story of innocent suffering. It ends with the pregnant phrase "There is a land of the living and a land of the dead and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning."I came across this quote as I thought about the senseless loss of life of my nephew who died of a drug overdose last week, and whose funeral I attended. What a vast gulf between a body lying in a casket, and the 23 year old young man alive just a few hours before! I thought of a failure of love that may have contributed to his death, a love that is imperfect in each of us and that may be rejected just as easily as withheld. My speculations about "what went wrong" sank into sands of uncertainty.
What hope is left? For Bobby, faith's hope for life in Christ's death and rising. For those of us left in this life? That this boy's deceased life might give birth to more love among us. Rather than focusing on a broken past, the family wants the memory of this boy to sprout something positive, something living, and vibrant, something looking like love. The bridge to that end, as Wilder recognized, and Christ proved, is love itself.
Listen to Susan Boyle, "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables.
Listen to the Webb Sisters sing "If It Be Your Will" by Leonard Cohen
Listen to Jeremy Riddle, "Sweetly Broken"
Listen to "I'll Stand By You" by the Pretenders
Listen to MercyMe, "Bring the Rain"
Listen to MercyMe, "Hold Fast"
Listen to Matthew West, "Strong Enough"
Listen to Laura Story, "Blessings"
Listen to Rachael Lampa, "My Father's Heart"
Listen to "On Eagles' Wings"
Listen to Chris Tomlin , "I will Rise"
Listen to Simon and Garfunkel sing "Bridge Over Troubled Waters"
Listen to Bill Withers, "Lean on Me"
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