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Holding Holden in our hearts
A hymn born from the Challenger tragedy offers hope amid fires, floods, personal loss and every sorrow, reminding us that God knows our pain and brings healing to us.
By Greg Asimakoupoulos | FāVS News Columnist
The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News.
Forty years ago two significant events occurred within a few weeks of each other that are forever etched in my memory. One was the birth of our middle daughter Allison. The other was the tragic explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger moments after liftoff. The former was marked by joy (Allison’s middle name). The latter was punctuated by national sorrow.
Millions watched on television as the Challenger broke apart in midair and robbed the seven astronauts’ families of their loved ones. But hymnwriter Marty Haugen was not among those who witnessed this national tragedy. Marty and his family were at Holden Village in the North Cascades on retreat.
This beloved Lutheran conference center 11 miles from the Lucerne boat landing on Lake Chelan lacked a television signal. Due to its rural location, communication in general was intermittent. As such, news of the Challenger disaster did not reach staff and guests at Holden Village for a few days. When the devastating details were discovered, Haugen began to compose a hymn that would provide those who were at Holden at the time a means to process their pain.
‘Hope beyond every sorrow’
The result was “Healer of Our Every Ill.” It is a prayer directed to the Almighty confessing human angst, sorrow and fear. The first stanza begins “You know our fears and sadness, grace us with your peace and gladness. Spirit of all comfort fill our hearts.” And then the refrain continues: “Healer of our ev’ry ill, light of each tomorrow, give us peace beyond our fear and hope beyond our sorrow.”
This summer, the Little Giant Fire has consumed land near Holden Village and caused those who love this former mining camp to fear for its safety. Holden has already suffered damage from mudslides over the past year that closed roads as well as the conference center indefinitely. The financial loss is only part of the overall toll.
When I heard Holden Village mentioned in the news recently, I was reminded of Haugen’s hymn. Fires and floods and mudslides are indicative of any number of other ills that confront us in life.
In addition to natural disasters, there are national tragedies that steal our peace of mind and haunt our memories. Cyclospora outbreaks, mass shootings, airline crashes and political discord, to name a few. Even beyond our borders there are circumstances that feed our corporate anxiety. Earthquakes, hurricanes, refugees seeking sanctuary and unending wars.
And then there are the ills of individual families. A stillbirth, divorce, death, a mate’s infidelity, a doctor’s unwelcomed diagnosis, unemployment, a church split, foreclosure on a home, estrangement from family and the list goes on.
Facing what we cannot control
No matter who we are or where we live, there are challenges and obstacles that confront us and find us overwhelmed and dwarfed by what is beyond our ability to control. People of faith in such situations are inclined to look to One who is omnipresent and omniscient.
The last stanza of Haugen’s hymn calls on God to personalize his response to the heartaches with which we find ourselves wrestling: “You who know each thought and feeling, teach us all your way of healing; Spirit of compassion fill each heart.”
Knowing that God knows what we are dealing with is a comfort in and of itself. God is aware. And God is capable of healing the hurts that hold us hostage. He is in fact the “Healer of Our Every Ill.”
Yes, Marty Haugen wrote his lyrics for the community at Holden as a means of responding to the Challenger disaster. But those poignant words have found their way into countless hymnals of a variety of denominations. They provide people of all faiths a vocabulary of prayer for the disasters we continue to encounter.
All the same, I will forever associate this timeless hymn text with Holden Village. And as I do, I will prayerfully hold Holden in my heart. I invite you to do the same.
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Thank you for your words and sharing this Hymn. As someone being affected by the Spokane fires and who has been at Holden village for the first time two years ago, I resonated with this a lot. And that Hymn needs to be sung at my church soon! Very moving words. Thank you!