Guest Commentator - Rev. Matthew Crary

Nobody Knows…

Around Thanksgiving, the whole start of the winter holiday season, I feel called to listen to the Blues. I yearn to hear the sentimental sounds of John Coltrane, the sad siren song of Miles Davis, and solitary but tougher than nails voice of Billie Holiday. While I hear all their individual tunes, their distinctive harmonies, their individual pain, what I hear is the echo of the African American Spiritual, “Nobody Knows…”

Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen…
Nobody knows my sorrow…
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen…
Glory Hallelujah!

In my faith tradition, we strive to take on the big issues and injustices we face in our society and the world today; we are a faith of “deeds not creeds.” Here in Riverside we are active in addressing homelessness, global warming, and marriage equality. Together we seek not only to right the wrongs of our community, but also to face those covert oppressions, racism, classism, genderism and consumerism, which lie in our own hearts supporting these injustices. It’s not easy or pleasant, but it’s the mission to which we are called.



Certainly these injustices and oppressions are named in the Blues. Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” is haunting in its acknowledgment of the fruit individual and institutional racism is the murder of our youth. Emerging out of the reality of freed African Americans (freed from slavery into extreme poverty, exploitation, and institutionalized racism) the Blues were social commentary in rhyme and rhythm. They expressed the reality of life and living in both the big and small ways.



Indeed, what seems best to me about the Blues is that they name the pains and sorrows, which come with the life we possess. The heartbreak and suffering that we endure in our relationships and the personal failures, mistakes, and frailties of our bodies are all named in a deeply personal way in the Blues. Most of all the Blues name without flinching or turning away the feeling of being alone.

Know body knows the trouble I’ve seen…
Nobody knows my sorrow…
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen…
Glory Hallelujah!

Feeling alone is just about the worst place anyone can be. We are social creatures, needing recognition and connection and support from other human beings. To feel alone, even in a crowd, is to be isolated, set apart, and alienated from others. It is an unnatural condition for us, which amplifies the agony all of our other pains and sorrows, of all the injustices and oppressions.



And yet… the Blues express genuine gratitude despite all the pain and injustice and feeling alone. They express a thanks and a hope in the place of resignation. They hold up life in the face of darkness. In this way the Blues remind me that in the face of the darkness I see in the world, that in spite of the oppressions and injustices around me, and in the face of the fear and hopelessness with me, gratitude can remain.

In this time of great celebration and renew, which carries a feeling of alone for so many, many people, I hope that you will find your Blues to sing. Sing for the pain and sorrow in our world. Sing to for the hope and love and light for which we live.
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Reverend Matthew Crary, senior minister of the Universalist Unitarian Church of Riverside has graciously agreed to be a guest commentator for this week’s blog. I thank him for the great job he has performed. As always please post your comments and opinions in the comment section at the bottom of the article on the blog page (http://www.aricisom.com/). You can also post to past articles in there proper location at the bottom of each. I look forwards to your feedback. Please take note of the new features, such as the daily news feed, video clips, visitor polls, outside links, and Java games.