Easter in a Pandemic

Acts 10:34-35

Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 

       Somehow I got hooked into teaching religion classes. It will only take an hour a week! It is amusing just how many times I fell for that line. That may very well have been the beginning of the rather long journey to wholeness and coming out. That is not to say that I am nearly finished with my journey - I hope and pray.  I did have some crucial insights to pass along to the kids and I am familiar with a syllabus and following direction.

        One of the things that I wanted so very badly to impart was just how much God loves each and every one of them. It was a two pronged approach for me. One is to note that if each person were the only soul on earth, Jesus would still have willingly become incarnate and willingly be placed on the cross for whatever sins we have committed, thus freeing us from the tyranny of sin and damnation. The second was a bit more complex. Invariably I would pick a child from class and ask "what is your name?" The child would immediately say Johnny, or Joe, Kathryn or Mary, whatever the correct answer was. The point is that one's name is something we are certain of. When asked we know it without any doubt and we answer without hesitation. I would point that out to the children. Their name was something they "knew" without question. I told these youngsters that one of the purpose of these religion classes ws to impart a similar truth, a truth that they could always rely on without hesitation, without doubt, without question and it is always true. God loves them, each and every one with unique and unabashed specificity. Ok, I didn't say those last words exactly but I think you get the idea. God loves us each without question. I AM certain of that. It is true for all of us. Lest we forget it, know also that God loves the other bloke, at least as much as God loves me. Those were my two goals.

        It seems a bit ironic now that the world is in lock down and most of us are essentially in solitary confinement for the duration. Communal services cancelled and we are left alone - or so it might seem. We have to remember first of all that God is always with us, perhaps even closer when we are sitting by ourselves.What a wonderful, scary and beautiful opportunity to know that it is you and God alone together. You have ach others ears - and heart and soul. Nothing to stop you from praying now. Of course all sort of services are available on line. My own community is using YouTube as a platform for services. In that sense there may be an acute awareness that in some respect we are not alone. You know that there are others out there in the same boat even as you might seem to be maddenly lonely, hungry for human companionship.

         So here we have the essence of so much of Easter.  God loves you, just you. God still would have gone through this whole embracing of our humanity and dying just for you and you alone. It's important to know that as an adult just as much as I wanted the kids to know that.  Then too, as we know there are those others in the same boat, God loves them too. The prayer that Jesus left us does not begin, Heavenly Father. The prayer begins as OUR Father. We are really not alone at all - ever. In fact, perhaps the real challenge of this confinement is to live out a life of love when the only venue for human love is communal - in relationships.  Our worship is communal - relational. 
The Trinity is purely relational. Genesis notes that it is not good for man(kind) to be alone. Relationships and our humanity are difficult when we are alone or at leasts 6 feet apart.

       On Easter we celebrate the joy and hope of the Resurrection. We celebrate the joy and power of humanity in Jesus and the hope of eternal life. We celebrate the path Jesus showed us in how to live and love. All this is before us. Perhaps this year, more than any other in recent history, we can comprehend the resurrection but also the uncertainty that the Apostles felt when those first witnesses to the resurreccion, those three women, came and spoke of the risen Jesus. That news , our news today is still filled with uncertainty and doubt because we are in the midst of this pandemic.  The Apostles were in doubt for a different reason but we know the feeling for sure. What will become of us? Has Jesus really risen? We are saved? We don't really feel it yet - and so we wait in solitude, perhaps even in a bit of doubt.

         One thing each of us do know for certain - God does love me. God died for me. God is risen and there is great joy and hope in that - it is the basis of our salvation. 

         Keep the faith. Know God loves you. Live in hope and joy. Happy Easter.
        

Down time, airplane mode, whatever it takes.

Matthew 11:28

     "Come to me, all of you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest".

       It was a 3 hour flight from our Island retreat to the glitz and glamour that beckoned outside McCarran Airport. My husband turned off 'airplane mode' and was immediately struck by pings and alerts. There were so many e-mails and phone messages awaiting.  One person had left at least a dozen messages in that 3 hour window. Hello!!?? Are you there? This is a real estate emergency!!!!

       In my husbands line of work, people have an expectation of immediate gratification or they will seek out the next professional in ther line of sight. It seems everyone actually wants to be tethered 24/7 to their phones and the world.

       How interesting it is now that so many of the entire world are quarantined to their homes.  I myself posted  a meme on facebook about preparing a large batch of cocktails for this evening. Well, let's make that for lunch, say 10:30 am? Times are tough indeed. And yet, we are all seemingly still tethered to the outside world by social media and the telephone. I suppose if you 'turned yourself off' or turned on airplane mode for longer than an hour, people might call 911 to have someone come and check on you. Did they succumb to the virus? How come they aren't answering their phone? I know they are home.

       One of the unique features about this year that people have not experienced in generations is that public services and the communal celebration of Easter has essentially been cancelled. There will be no Easter service, not even with fist bumps or people spaced 6-8 feet apart in church. There will be no Easter egg hunts and no shopping for Easter outfits or even Easter bonnet, no Easter Lamb with the fixin's and family. We are stuck at home. Sadly, we are not taking any of our 'down time' to disconnect from the world and reconnect with God.

        This morning, with all sorts of recreational activities here at home cancelled, no pickleball, no tennis, no pool, no golf or gym,  we will be try to find some exercise and relief from containment by going on a bike ride around the community. We can easily get in 10 miles which is a pleasant jaunt among the water, palms and alligators.

        I am acutely aware of the problems the world is in. The problems cannot help but intervene in our lives as we are hunkered down only to hear of who died of the Covid-19 virus or say silent prayers for those loved ones on the front lines of care. How about we take some solid time for real prayer ad some quality down time. I mean, let's put our lives on airplane mode. What gift have we be graced with, by whatever horror we are truly experiencing it, we can now truly be silent and pray to God. Thank you for your Son. Thank you for your peace and unending love.

         All we need do is stop and listen; stop and ask.  For downtime and airplane mode, I give thanks and pray.