Have we ever had such a challenge to our belief in our own
survival as we have now in this perhaps early stage of the Covid-19 Virus
pandemic? We are reminded, especially during Lent, of the Israelites setting
out through the desert without water or provisions to last more than a few
days. “there was no water for the people to drink, and so they
quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied to them,
“Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to a test…saying,
“Is the LORD in our midst or not?” Exodus
17:2-7
Water means life; it reverses the course headed for death.
That fact is emphasized in our Easter Sacrament of Baptism as we recall the
saving action of God providing for the Israelites in First Covenant Faith and
the saving action of Jesus who sealed the New Covenant with blood and water
flowing from his side.
We are in the draught of this pandemic. Our faith is
challenged as we hold onto the belief that God is with us. A belief that does
not have even a foggy vision on the horizon on how the drama unfolds or how it
will end. Belief that is totally and frighteningly open to affirming that God
is with us and will be with us no matter what happens, even the worst-case
scenario. Belief that God is good; Creation is good. I can endure when I know
positively that I am held in love by my Creator. Paschal Faith means that death
is the door to life. Death of the fulfillment of my wants, even of my needs.
(Not just the “bad stuff”, but potentially everything that seems to define who
I am is on the chopping block. Think tornado.) We might find ourselves crying
out with the Israelites of old, “Is the Lord in our midst or not?”
During this Holy Week, we walk with Jesus as he dealt with
this in is own life. “Why”, he might have asked the Father, “didn’t you make
them listen to me? How could those who claim to be your ministers of the faith
reject me so completely? Why did you harden their hearts and close their minds?
Where were you when I brought them your message of love? When I showed them the
beauty, joy and holiness in life?” Did
Jesus’ questions die on his lips as he hung on the cross? Or shall we find in
our scripture, that ray of hope/trust expressed in his “Seventh Last Word”
Father, Into Your Hands, I commend my Spirit” Luke 23:46
Our Easter Vigil breaks open the meaning of death. Or put more
emphatically, breaks out of the tomb of death. Life emerges from what has
seemed irrevocable death. But this is not a resuscitated life, the same as
before. It is a totally new reality. The resurrected Jesus is the same yet
vastly different. How might my death/tomb experience of Covid-19 quarantine
change me? What is this best self that I hope emerges? How can I use my time
and energy now to grow into my truest, post resurrection self? What grace shall
I pray for?
Sr. Dorothy Schuette, OSB
Dear Sister, thank you for this challenging and thoughtful response. One of the best reasons (for a non-religious) for living in an isolated community in ancient days, with high walls and a good spring, was that it was the best way to avoid the diseases found in the cities. The Black death of the century before St Colette and St Joan of Arc. There was the tragedy endured by St Therese of Lisieux when her convent family was invaded by the worst enemy we ever had -- in that age. In my lifetime there have been media blitzes on disease and health issues -- it has been a feature of our lives, how can we lift the population to better health. Stop drinking pints of beer at lunchtime. Then cigarettes -- how many people still smoke? How many in the medical profession still smoke? They used to smoke, only two generations ago. Like the Jews found out so long ago, it is good to wash your hands. It is good to wash in a tub of pure water. What power we have in our hands, this age today, when Christ and Mary live in the hospital directives, and we can defeat an influenza by wearing a mask. Our opponent lives in our selfishness. Help me to understand that Lord Jesus -- and make the poorest less poor. How can we allow Africa to remain as she is, when the rich have so much? How can we allow leprosy to survive?
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