It all started with a random text from his buddy and fellow Audioslave band member, Chris Cornell who had been MIA–which wasn’t unusual for him since he struggled with his mental health and addiction. The text read:
If you swallow the coin from the wishing well, your dreams will come true in heaven or hell.
Tom Morello, didn’t know exactly what to make of that couplet. Knowing how deeply troubled Chris was, he suspected it may be something significant. Morello went on to write The Garden of Gethsemane the next day- including this lyric. He later released the song under his solo performer moniker- The Nightwatchmen.
I am in awe of the messages these two musicians lift up to the world. They don’t hide themselves by wearing masks or shy away from expression of their truths. They are clear–life is full of suffering and life is full of LIFE. It is threaded through most of their lyrics and felt in the instrumentals.
What these men bring to light is that within it all– their faith is their guiding light. They wrestle with it. They ask questions. They process their beliefs through the lived realities of their lives and through their experiences with others in this world. They make mistakes. They lament those wrongdoings. They ask for grace- they give grace. They do it together. They care for each other in the ways that they best know how. I’m the nightwatchman- Take my hand, love- down we go (to the Garden of Gethsemane).
When Jesus was in his deepest place of struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane, and he sat with his head in his hands- he asked for the disciples to hold space for him. To stay awake and care for him. But their own selfish needs got in the way. They fell asleep instead of keeping vigil. They built fences around themselves denying their relationship with him when their public image and lives were on the line. They slipped from shadow to shadow instead of being there when it really counted.
Maybe Jesus lamented leaving Earth so much because– he was leaving when we didn’t fully understand the meaning of the beloved community. We still don’t. We emulate the disciples behavior all the time. We don't understand what it means to care for one another. We turn our backs on each other and we have no problem doing so even when deep suffering is present– whether it’s illness, trauma, job loss, addiction, divorce, etc. If we go away- and we can’t see the other (out of sight out of mind) we can forget more easily. We don’t like being inconvenienced or getting involved. It's too emotionally, politically, publicly risky. We’re concerned about being right, dogma and doing faith in a particular way.
And yet…we are called to be nightwatchman for each other. The beloved community is first and foremost about loving God and in doing so– also loving, nurturing, and caring for each other and our relationships. The beloved community is where Christ is alive!
Where do you find your beloved community, reader? It doesn’t have to look a certain way or be within a church context- since this whole world is a Holy sanctuary. Maybe it’s a supper club, book group, a gardening club, a friend group, at Bunko, a bicycling club, a walking partner, yoga class or a rock n roll band… Find your people and watch over them.
Wherever Christ’s heartbeat is palpable- that’s the beloved community.
Thanks be to God!
Garden of Gethsemane
On the side of the dirt road
An old Chevy wreck
I climbed through the window
I sat in the back
I gathered my thoughts
With my head in my hands
My next of kin
My list of demands
I slipped from shadow to shadow
I saw things I should not see
The moon rose high
Over the Garden
The Garden of Gethsemane
I know who I′m for
And who I'm against
I pulled the shades tight
I built me a fence
I dug a tunnel
Deep and wide
I sit at the bottom
And wait for the night
I slipped from shadow to shadow
I saw things I should not see
The moon rose high
Over the Garden
The Garden of Gethsemane
Morning has come
Clean clothes on the line
There′ll be no tomorrow
I rise and I shine
If you swallow the coin
From the wishing well
Your dreams will come true
In heaven or hell
I slipped from shadow to shadow
I saw things I should not see
The moon rose high
Over the Garden
The Garden of Gethsemane
Take my hand
Down we go
Take my hand, love
Down we go