Today begins our “stay at home” period for the coming month, an attempt to contain the spread of the coronavirus and turn the tide of this pandemic. Knowing that we can learn from every life experience, I’m beginning to ask “What can we learn from the experience through which we’re passing?”
I hope we can learn to be kinder and more compassionate and loving people. In a society with far too much “me” and “mine” and narcissism a growing way of life, much has been lost in recent years. In families, communities, even in churches we have fewer visible signs of caring and respect for one another than in years past. I’m blessed every time I hear the news anchor sign off “Good night, and take care of yourself, and each other.”
The coronavirus is no respecter of persons - visiting old and young, man, woman and child, even our pets, and the rich and poor of every nation. We are connected to one another as a family of living beings on God’s good earth. I’m reminded of a poem I first read in high school many years ago:
If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less,
as well as if a promontory were,
as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were.
Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind;
and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
(from “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” by John Donne.)
Truly “we are in this together,” (#inthistogether) as we’ve heard so many times in so many ways in recent days. My heart is warmed with each random act of kindness; with healing music – did you see the two young physicians singing “Imagine?” John Lennon’s lyrics encourage the listener to imagine a world at peace, without the barriers of borders or the divisions of religion and nationality, and to consider the possibility that the whole of humanity would live unattached to material possessions-
“You, you may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you will join us And the world will be as one.” (from Imagine, by John Lennon)
I’ve been blessed as well by stories of neighborhood heroes; with the picture of a physician Dad “high-fiving” his toddler son through their living room window, and neighbors gathering on the sidewalks of a subdivision to welcome a young girl home after her final chemo treatment; and folks in many land serenading health care workers making their way to work. There are individuals delivering groceries and medication to the elderly; and there are those stuffed animals in the windows of neighborhood homes, comforting and delighting all who pass by!
Families are experiencing forced time together, without all the activities that usually keep them so busy and separated from one another. Blessings will come from time spent together. I love hearing from my own children about how they are coping, and in some moments truly enjoying all the new togetherness. Some find themselves suddenly without work, through no fault of their own; others face the difficult task of caring for their families and teaching their children while working at home. May our families rediscover some of life that has been lost in the living and come through these days stronger and with deeper gratitude for each family member.
Recently I heard someone say this time through which we are passing will create a new humanity in many ways, and there’s great “hope” in that. I’m reminded of words of the prophet Jeremiah in Lamentations, a communal lament over Jerusalem, following its destruction by the Babylonians.
“This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
God’s mercies never come to an end.
They are new every morning.
Great is God’s faithfulness.”
In that assurance of hope, let us give thanks for those streams of mercy never ceasing, carrying us through these days into all that is to come.
Elizabeth
While I’m grateful to be able to be at home these days, I’m finding that staying home is hard work! As one used to being actively engaged in ministry from day to day, I struggle with how to stay connected with my congregation. Part of each day is spent making phone calls, writing notes, texting and e-mailing to the church family several times a week, and praying for all of us in this uncertain time. As one not as knowledgeable in technology as my younger colleagues, or as comfortable in venturing out in these areas, I’m wondering what new things I might do that would be helpful. I haven’t tried preaching to an empty sanctuary on Facebook or having a session meeting by conference call; I haven’t set up daily devotions and prayers online, or e-mailed sermons each Sunday. We’ll see what the coming days might bring.
As one who follows the lectionary, I’ve stopped at the well as Jesus talked with the Samaritan woman, and had a personal conversation with him as well, tasting of that living water; last Sunday I listened in as first Jesus and then the Pharisees encountered the man blind from birth, and heard him declare to all ”One thing I do know; that though I was blind, now I see.” I was reminded in Psalm 23 that, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for You are with me.” And this coming Lord’s Day, we read of the raising of Lazarus and of Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones. In these uncertain days, we must bear witness resurrection truth, that in God’s time, there will be new life, and our mourning will be turned to dancing. While we might feel that we’re walking through a valley of dry bones, those bones will come together again in God’s time, and have new life breathed into them, and we will live!
Presbyterian Outlook Editor, Jill Duffield, offers these words of hope and promise: “As social distancing grows, shelter in place orders expand, more people get sick, layoffs increase, anxiety heightens and the end of this public health crisis seems far off, we need a glimpse of Easter, a foreshadowing of hope, a sure cause for rejoicing and, thanks be to God, we unequivocally have such an occasion this Lord's Day. We may not mark Holy Week or celebrate Easter in our sanctuaries this year, but nothing will prevent Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem and his living, breathing exit from the tomb. Nothing! … This coming Sunday (the 5th Sunday in Lent) is a day to remember that Easter is coming and nothing - nothing - will stop God's power and plan to bring new life out of despair and death. In the meantime, in this in between time, we must weep with those who weep, mourn the mounting communal losses together, call on Jesus for help and pray to our Father in hope.”
May we be faithful to pray for each other and for God’s children everywhere, trusting God to bring us through these uncertain days, and helping each other in all the ways we can.
Elizabeth
Perhaps it’s a good thing we don’t know what might come to pass in any given week. With concerns mounting about the spread of the Coronavirus, much of life as we know it has come to a grinding halt in recent days. Lenten studies and sermons are set aside; group trips to plays and concerts cancelled; athletic events are suspended, schools are closed and churches services are cancelled – all for a period of at least two weeks, in hopes of slowing the spread of the deadly virus. How quickly things can change, as life as we know it becomes a strange, new territory.
I “went to church” in Raleigh yesterday, by way of television. As the camera panned the empty sanctuary, the minister reminded us that God promises to give us what we truly need. We need guidance and wisdom for living in these days; we need to be diligent and responsible to do all we can; we need each other.
The minister asked those listening in to think of the people they would have hugged at worship, the hands they would have shaken, the greetings and good wishes they would have exchanged - - and then in the days to come, turn each one into a phone call, an e-mail, a card or a letter to those persons. How important it is that we do our best to stay connected with one another in these days.
Through the wonders of technology we enjoyed singing “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,” “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and “It Is Well With My Soul,” accompanied by organ, choir and orchestra. These pieces were taken from recordings of earlier services. A young woman read the book, God’s Dream, for children listening in, reminding us that we are family because we are all God’s children. A youth pastor spoke to young people called to leave college on short notice, facing the possibility of not returning to campus to complete the year’s studies, and to other children and youth who find themselves home, facing an uncertain future. A public health official spoke to all of the need for washing hands and social distancing and voluntary isolation.
The minister encouraged us to remember that we are connected to one another. A poet encourages us with these words: “During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.” (Cameron Bellm) May we find those ways together! Another poet wrote, “Promise this world your love–for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, so long as we all shall live.” (Lynn Unger)
With God’s help, may we be God’s loving embrace to our neighbors and may we be faithful to love this world in all the ways we can – “for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, so long as we all shall live.”
Elizabeth