The Mystery of Everything – a Lent course based around the film ‘The Theory of Everything’

Week 2: The enigma of weakness

It’s not easy to give reflections without having the film, ‘The Theory of Everything’, based on a book by Jane Hawking with her story of hers and Stephen’s life together, but for those of you who haven’t seen it or don’t have the opportunity to join with the Tuesday evening (7.30 pm) or Wednesday lunchtime (1.00 pm) groups – here are some thoughts for consideration and for conversation.

Lent is a time when we can deepen and broaden our faith. There is so much we can’t explain within our world. How do we come to terms with mystery and faith? We may find that there are more questions than answers.

This session looks at some issues round physical suffering, which has always been a challenge for Christians, but also about how we view time. In the film Stephen has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease. He has been given two years to live. He falls into a state of despair, refusing to relate to anyone, but Jane is able to break through that and is determined to fight the illness.

You may have experience of motor neurone disease (MND) but in case not, it is a progressive disease of the nervous system leading to muscle weakness and eventual paralysis, including speaking, swallowing and breathing. The cause is not known and there is no cure. Two to five years is the expected survival. Stephen Hawking was diagnosed at the age of 21, over fifty years ago.

You may want to think about people you know who have had this kind of diagnosis, or a diagnosis of a severely limiting condition, and how you have responded to the diagnosis and what might be expected. If you are that person, then maybe think back if you can to when it began.

The film clip this week has Stephen’s announcement that he wants to study time counterpoised with his father trying to warn Jane that science, and indeed time, is against them. But she and they are determined and it moves on to their marriage celebration, their life together, the birth of their first and then second child and the gradual deterioration in Stephen’s mobility and the frustration that is there for him.

If you’ve seen the film, try to recall the range of emotions that Stephen, Jane and their family and friends went through throughout this. If you haven’t seen the film, try to imagine, and maybe share with others, what you might think they would be. You may, of course, have personal experience to reflect on.

MND is an extreme example, but we all find ourselves becoming limited by the weakness of our bodies as we grow older. Think about what that experience of physical limitation has meant or might mean to you.

Stephen has lived a great deal longer than anyone might have expected. He was told two years. Can you imagine how you might respond to this kind of information?

If you did know you had only a couple of years to live, what would you want to do with the time?

Christians have struggled with why there is suffering in the world for over two thousand years. What would you say to someone (or maybe to yourself) who asked you why God allows suffering?

Reflect – either on your own or together with someone else on Isaiah 43:1–4a.

But now thus says the Lord who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God.
You are precious in my sight, and honoured, and I love you.’

Prayer

Father, we may not understand you, but we trust you.
We trust you for our lives on this earth, whatever might befall.
We trust you for a life to come: far more wonderful than we can imagine.
We trust you for ourselves and for those we love.
In the name of Christ.

Amen

Closing Reflection

In the midst of all the violence and corruption of the world God invites us today to create new places of belonging, places of sharing, of peace and kindness, places where no-one needs to defend himself or herself; places where each one is loved and accepted with one’s own fragilities, abilities and disabilities.

This is my vision for our churches: that they become places of belonging, places of sharing.

Jean Vanier ‘Befriending the stranger’

You may use these reflections on your own or take the opportunity to share with one or two others. You will find yourself on a journey to somewhere you may not yet recognise.

With thanks to Hilary Brand ‘The Mystery of Everything’ and the CTBI Lent resource ‘Pilgrimage’.