World Communion Sunday Reflection: Set Down Your Burdens at Taizé

A blurry view of the beginning of a prayer as people gather in the Church of Reconciliation.

By Julie Carlson

Some of you may remember the late 1990s movie, Good Will Hunting. The Miramax synopsis of the movie describes the lead character Will as “a headstrong, working-class genius who is failing the lessons of life. After one too many run-ins with the law, Will’s last chance is a psychology professor.” Will’s difficulties stem from the abuse he suffered as a child. In one of his therapy sessions, the professor tells him, “it’s not your fault.” Will shrugs him off, “I know.” In response, the professor says, “No, you don’t. It’s not your fault.” And Will responds again, “I know.” And the professor keeps at this repeating over and over again, “it’s not your fault.” Around the tenth time, Will finally breaks down because even though rationally Will knows that it wasn’t his fault, emotionally he has not really accepted it.

Taizé, for me, was a bit like that scene from Good Will Hunting. The repetition of prayer and song at Taize produced a similar reckoning between what I thought I knew about God’s love and the experience of God’s love. The song that spoke to me the most, and still does, is Fiez-Vous en Lui. Like all of the songs at Taize, it is quite short but repeated many, many times. The song, in French, is: Fiez-vous en Lui; Ne craignez pas; La paix de Dieu gardera vos coeurs; Fiez-vous en lui; Alleluia, Alleluia. The translation is, Trust in Him. Don’t be afraid. God’s peace will protect your hearts. Trust in Him. Alleluia. Alleluia. I heard that message, three times a day for a week, in a setting where I was no longer in charge. Here was God telling me that it was okay. I could set down my burdens. I was safe. The rational part of me knew that already but I had not really accepted it until I was at Taize.