Our God, and God of all people:
God of the rich and God of the poor;
God of the healthy and God of the afflicted;
God of those with healthcare, and God of the uninsured;
God of the hoarder, and God of the helper;
God of those who have no God.
We are acutely aware of the gnawing unease that has been aggravated
by a global pandemic. Everywhere we look, we see apprehension and uncertainty
unleashed all around us. The impact of this illness is very real. Its presence
is felt every time we wash our hands, clear our throats or flinch in response
to someone coughing behind us.
Lord, we realize that a virus cannot be seen by the human
eye –makes its presence known in the empty classrooms and cancelled events that
increasingly are becoming the norm around our city, state, nation and
throughout the world.
Lord, it creates fear as we await news of its arrival in our
midst. We struggle to avoid contact with our faces and abandon all gestures of
human touch that, just last month were expressions of friendship and affection.
Lord, we have heard stories of how the virus has brought out
the worst in some of us. We have hoarded vital supplies and taken advantage of
shortages to gouge our fellow citizens on the secondary market. We have taken
solace in the fact that it is projected to most severely impact the most
vulnerable in our midst: the aged and indisposed; the compromised and infirm;
We have watched in horror as racists have targeted Asian and
other ethnic communities, using our fears to reinforce their hideous
agendas.
But, Lord, along with the ugliness, we also have seen simple
beauty:
- Outpourings
of caring and concern;
- Communities
coming together to ensure that the frailest among us will be safe and
secure;
- Doctors,
nurses and healthcare workers who have laboured in dangerous conditions in
order to care for their patients;
- Researchers and students who valiantly search for cures and vaccines to stem the tide of infection.
You remind us, Lord through the Psalmist who wrote: “Who
may ascend the mountain of the Eternal? Who may stand in God’s holy place?
Those with clean hands and a pure heart.” (Psalm 24:3-4)
We pray, Lord, that, as we wash our hands (for 20 seconds –
no less…) we also might strive to find You, O God – in our hearts our hopes
and our homes.
Eternal One:
Bless all who come to your sacred space. Keep them healthy. Give them strength
to find ways to safeguard our nation and protect the lives and livelihoods of
every one of its citizens.
We pray for healing of those who are affected. We pray that
those who are healthy will remain so. We pray that this crisis will end and
that lives and livelihoods will be spared. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
