Today is the Fourth Sunday of Lent. We begin the second half of this season of wandering in the wilderness seeking the clarity that comes with stripping down to what is most basic and important. It is a time to be open to deepening our relationship with God.
Who could have imagined that it would look like this!
My congregation is dispersed, everyone to their own home. Our last time in the church building together was for the Lenten Supper/study time on Thursday, March 12th. Following the directions of the health professionals, we then closed the building and immediately transitioned to remote church - all without time to put the infrastructure in place to do this (with a shout out to all the amazing people who made that happen anyway)! Our first remote service was on the 15th, and we continue in this way for the foreseeable future. Zoom has become the platform for community as those with access to technology meet via Zoom to worship and maintain our bonds. The phone needs to suffice for those who cannot connect with Zoom. And I fear that people are getting lost in this new normal that may last longer than we hope it will.
I fear many things.
I fear for those who are in their homes and alone right now without easy access to others through technology. I fear for those whose lives were precarious before COVID-19 caused the sky to fall - they did not need one more thing! I fear for those who bravely go about their daily lives because they work in an area deemed essential - they don't have the security of staying home and locking the door. They go out into the unknown every day to keep essential services that we all depend on humming. I watch as the world retreats and shuts down - a fearsome thing to behold. I fear for the children who already have enough to worry about, the elders who are terrified of contracting this virus, and everyone in the middle who are trying to hold the world together. I fear for the loss of dear ones as this virus advances. And if I am brutally honest, I fear for my own health.
And yet God says fear not. And I reply, really? Are you paying attention?
Fear not. And notice - there is still so much good in the world, even with the international outbreak of toilet paper hoarders. There is still so much to celebrate in the world even though some world leaders act like occupants of clown cars instead of the elder statesmen they are called to be. For each one that is concerned only with their own needs and goals, ten others are there to serve the needs of the people - and are doing a good job under impossible circumstances. Citizens fly their flags and put up Christmas lights to create a sense of solidarity and joy. And people do good deeds - most look out for one another. There is still so much good in the world - and it needs to be celebrated! Good people doing good things every day - heroic acts of compassion and kindness are present in abundance! Sadly, they don't get the same attention as the toilet paper hoarders and clowns do. And that is a shame.
Spring is here - the bulbs are sprouting new life. Soon yellows, pinks and purples will color my back yard. And this year I'll be home to see it - and savor it. I will make a point to notice and enjoy every blossom. If the bulbs are going to work this hard, the least I can do is appreciate their creations!
Our experience of church is forever changed because of this crisis. And that quiet inner voice reminds me that the outcome of that change - whether it is good or bad - depends on what we do and how we respond to these challenging circumstances. If we forget who we are and the values and faith that shapes our common life together, and if we forget the lessons we learn during this journey and try to re-create the past as soon as the crisis is over, that would not be a good outcome. But if, instead, we use this time to deepen our relationship with God and one another, find creative and safe ways to serve our community and incorporate these insights from the journey in the wilderness into our community life, then what emerges could be a great blessing. To be clear - I don't believe God caused this in order for blessings to emerge. But I do believe that God works with all our circumstances to bring about our highest and best good.
For over a week now we've been told to voluntarily stay at home; starting at the end of the day tomorrow the Governor of Ohio makes it mandatory. In many ways, these changes have sent all of us who are observing Lent into the wilderness - alone. Some say the most difficult times are ahead of us. If that is true, we need to savor all the good we can find in order to safeguard our resilience. We need to steep ourselves in love. And the most direct way to do that is through prayer - where we connect with Love itself. And the next best way to do that is through those who love us - and through our faith communities, where we find God with skin on.
As I lean into love, I find that the fear falls away. I am left with that abiding presence of God that I feel in my heart as it radiates out in all directions. I breathe deeply and sigh, wishing I could change these circumstances. Knowing that I can't, I pray for the clarity and wisdom to discern between what I can and cannot change. And may God continue to grant us all the courage to do what we can, and the strength to stop doing what is not helpful to others during this pandemic. Feeding the fear is not helpful. But facing the fear with love and factual information is exactly what we need.
I came upon this reworking of the Serenity Prayer today as I was composing the daily church email. May you find it a comfort as you move more deeply into the Lenten wilderness - and journey towards Easter. This may be especially helpful if you are sheltering in place with others. : )
A New Serenity Prayer from the Jesuit Post
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the people I cannot change,
which is pretty much everyone,
since I’m clearly not you, God.
At least not the last time I checked.
And while you’re at it, God,
please give me the courage
to change what I need to change about myself,
which is frankly a lot, since, once again,
I’m not you, which means I’m not perfect.
It’s better for me to focus on changing myself
than to worry about changing other people,
who, as you’ll no doubt remember me saying,
I can’t change anyway.
Finally, give me the wisdom to just shut up
whenever I think that I’m clearly smarter
than everyone else in the room,
that no one knows what they’re talking about except me,
or that I alone have all the answers.
Basically, God,
grant me the wisdom
to remember that I’m
not you.
Amen
Kim
No comments:
Post a Comment