It was prescient to "self-isolate" earlier this week when my worries, instincts and wise counsel advised against heading north to Ottawa. I was able to participate in some of the meetings on-line and for that I am grateful. Today it was wisely decided that there will not be public worship in our area for at least a few weeks. That means I won't be preaching in Williamstown until such time as we can reschedule. We may, however, make plans to do a "home recording" of my message for the congregation with a little guitar music added as a way of helping the community stay connected.Staying connected in these days of anxiety and alienation is critical - especially for those who consider themselves part of the "body of Christ." In the Jesuit magazine, America, Fr. Thomas Reese, writes:
The Christian faith is not just a personal commitment, it is also a communal experience. From the very beginning, Christians have gathered to share the Word of God and break bread in confined spaces. They drank from the same cup and shared a holy kiss. They also cared for the poor and the sick. All of these Christian practices are now seen as ways that the coronavirus can spread through populations. That is why the coronavirus is so threatening, not only physically but also spiritually. In a pre-scientific age, we might carry on and ask God to protect us. Many saints died caring for plague victims. Aloysius Gonzaga, patron saint of the Jesuit high school where I live, died in 1591 at the age of 23 while caring for victims of the plague in Rome.Today, public health officials recommend that we put distance between ourselves and others so as not to spread the virus. At first blush, this "social distancing" sounds un-Christian, but we need to listen to medical experts. As with doctors, the first rule of a Christian at this time is "Do no harm." That means not doing anything that might spread the virus to others.
Not only will our "self-isolating" slow down the spread of the virus, keeping our hospitals free to handle emergencies rather than be overwhelmed, but we will help inhibit the fear-mongering that often raises its ugly head in times of trial. Already, under the viscous and vulgar guidance of Stephen Miller, the current regime wants us to believe this disease comes from enemies abroad. That's what the foolish travel ban from Europe is all about. Scapegoating and deflecting the blame rather than helping Americans deal with a pandemic should expose these charlatans for the criminals they are. I was out last night celebrating our daughter's 41st birthday with a Mexican feast - and again today sharing tea with a friend- and the people I met said things like, "It feels almost medieval out there right now, doesn't it?" And there is no doubt that anxiety is high - and ordinary people are hoarding rubbing alcohol and toilet paper.
All the more reason for people of all faith traditions to offer a conscious counter-cultural presence. Fr. Reese was clear:
Christians have a responsibility beyond practicing personal hygiene. We also have a public responsibility to support civic programs to protect the vulnerable and care for the sick. In the short term, that means supporting health care workers who put themselves at risk caring for those who have fallen ill. It means scrupulously following the instructions of public health officials. It means supporting programs to help those without health insurance, without sick leave, without day care and without paychecks because their employers have laid them off during the health crisis.
The Massachusetts Council of Churches added these important insights, too:
As “social isolation” sets in, find new ways to be networked across the
Body of Christ: We are seeing churches get creative with ways to stay connected, especially if gathering in person is temporarily impossible. Divide up the congregational directory with each deacon receiving an equal number under their care. Assign congregants to clusters of 3, with generational diversity. Call, text, Skype, Facetime, write letters, especially to elders. Put notes in the mail to the workers at local nursing homes- especially as family member visitations are curtailed, chaplains and nursing home staff will have an increased emotional burden in their care for patients. Also notice and resist scapegoating: There is a long and painful history during disease outbreaks of finding and blaming different racial, ethnic and minoritized communities. Keep eyes open for the folks who usually get “scapegoated” during an outbreak and actively resist these stereotypes: we’ve already seen it happen. Jews, LGBTQ folks, Asian Americans, Coptic Christians, African Americans, Africans, Mexicans, new immigrants, and women have all been wrongly scapegoated for other diseases before. The erroneous scapegoating of Jews was so deadly during the Black Plague in the 1300’s that more than 200 Jewish communities across Europe were massacred. You can read the full book “Scapegoat: A History of Blaming Other People,” by Charlie Campbell or the short essay “Finding a Scapegoat When Epidemics Strike,” by Donald G. McNeil Jr.
And everyone who matters makes certain to add: AND PRAY. The church has been in hard places before - and we will be again. Our prayers matter. I found this poem/prayer a source of hope in a sea of fear. It is from Lynn Ungar.
What if you thought of it
as the Jews consider the Sabbath—
the most sacred of times?
Cease from travel.
Cease from buying and selling.
Give up, just for now,
on trying to make the world
different than it is.
Sing. Pray. Touch only those
to whom you commit your life.
Center down.
And when your body has become still,
reach out with your heart.
Know that we are connected
in ways that are terrifying and beautiful.
(You could hardly deny it now.)
Know that our lives
are in one another’s hands.
(Surely, that has come clear.)
Do not reach out your hands.
Reach out your heart.
Reach out your words.
Reach out all the tendrils
of compassion that move, invisibly,
where we cannot touch.
Promise this world your love--
for better or for worse,
in sickness and in health,
so long as we all shall live.
As one who has long "self-isolated" for the sake of simple sanity, not much will be different for me at first. I want to be of service in love, however, to those who will be wounded by isolation. Let's keep being creative and compassionate so that we genuinely are a source of comfort in this confusion.
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