This lent has been pretty hard. The world is so different. We are being challenged to listen to the science and evidence of COVID-19, all while having faith. So many are suffering and suffering alone. This is difficult. We are sheltering in place. We are shell-shocked. We miss our connection of community, church and friends,
We all miss normalcy.
There is also a percentage of the church in denial. They are going forward with church and planning Easter celebrations. In effect, arguing with science and evidence. I understand the scriptural justification for this obstinacy. These believers are also ignoring all the scriptures of suffering and trusting through that suffering. These communities will see COVID-19 attack. It will be sad. People will die and despair that God has abandoned them. The blind will lead the blind into a ditch.
Bad theology has tremendous repercussions. Leading with ego is not trusting in God it is trusting a narrow perspective and ignoring the vast majority of the faithful who are trusting through the storm, not believing they can stop the rain. Yes, Elijah stopped the rain through God. Then in the death of Jesus we see God nailed down, suffer and crying out. Faith is not a magic trick, it is trust. The Lord quoted Psalm 22 “My God, my God why have you forsaken me.” Then he still commending his spirit into the care of the Father.
We have not been abandoned. We are seeing faith in action through the doctors, nurses and first responders ministering to the sick. Faith embraces reality, it does not believe it can manipulate it to show the power of God. I wish it was true. I trust that God could eliminate all this struggle. I pray for it yet working to trust that the Lord will somehow draw us to himself through this societal change. We are not in control. Even our most holy week must be celebrated differently. We can still celebrate and we are not alone. We join with the communion of saints crying out “Holy, holy holy is the Lord”. We celebrate with a tinge of sadness as we await resurrection and grieve for those suffering. We get to embrace this uncomfortable paradox, to trust when we cannot see.
May you embrace this different Holy Week and may the Spirit convict all ego that puts the faithful and greater community at risk.
We look to resurrection.