In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice. I love you, O LORD, my strength, O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
Psalm 18
The peace of the Lord be with you. Some things in this world are timeless. Among them, in my opinion, are the Psalms which reflect the joys and sorrows, feelings of success and failure, and the triumph and defeat in human experiences. These are certainly things we may feel during a time like this. For instance, this weekend we will be reflecting on the Passion of our Lord. Typically we gather frequently as community over the next week to reflect upon and join ourselves to the suffering of our Lord. When these days are complete we typically gather with great joy to celebrate the joy of His resurrection and our redemption.
This year due to the effects of this virus we will be celebrating in a very different way — a way that may feel less communal and personal. As cited above, however, God is our strength and deliverer. His love and his presence exist beyond the bounds of time and space, so when we join together in His name we are lifted above the limits of earthly life.
During these times when we would typically gather, I encourage you to light a candle and intentionally set aside 45 to maybe 60 minutes of time to prayerfully join yourself to the celebrations that will be taking place across the Diocese. We are one under His wings and even something as tragic as this virus cannot separate us from God’s power.
United in His love let us join together, perhaps with the use of technology, and by the intention of our will, to ponder the walk of our suffering servant and the joy that comes with Easter. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.