Dear Beloved Community,<\/p>\n
As Christians traverse Holy Week and Jews honor Passover, we travel in the unfamiliar landscape of the coronavirus, marked by waiting. I offer the poem below as a meditation on waiting \u2013 full-bodied and full-spirited waiting. May this Holy season be a Holy journey for you and yours, and may the time of waiting awaken you to God and the tiny sure glimpses of God\u2019s Spirit breathing life into our suffering human family.<\/p>\n
\u201cWaiting in a Coronavirus World\u201d<\/p>\n
Waiting<\/p>\n
Waiting for the pain to begin,
\nWaiting for the pain to end,
\nWaiting and knowing how many lives
\nAre suffering and will suffer
\nDying in lonely isolation
\nLiving in worry and fear,<\/p>\n
Waiting and knowing that God is with us and for us,
\nYet we wait \u2026<\/p>\n
Angry waiting Sick-and-tired waiting Hopeful waiting Memory-filled waiting And now we wait for Easter \u2026 waiting in silence and grief, reaching toward hope \u2026
\n<\/em>Angry that people with Asian faces are persecuted, even killed,
\nAngry that the death toll falls hardest on African American lives,
\nAngry that unprotected health care workers face dangers every day,
\nAngry that people in service industries have to risk their lives
\nso others can access food and basic needs.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Tired of unresponsive public leaders and unconcerned citizens,
\nTired of mindless interference with public leaders who boldly seek to respond,
\nTired of political competition in place of compassionate cooperation,
\nTired of blame in the place of shame and action,
\nTired of profiteers who endanger lives for their own reward.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Hoping for deliverance from slavery, as recounted in Passover meals,
\nHoping to escape the crucifixion story
\nand the terrible memories of disciples deserting Jesus
\nand the wretched awareness that we too<\/em> desert Jesus \u2013
\nJesus in the poor, Jesus in our loved ones, Jesus in migrants,
\nprisoners, persons living on the streets, and neighbors
\nwho have lost their jobs or health, even their lives.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Memories of Hebrew people delivered<\/em> from slavery,
\nMemories of Jesus whose radical love cost him his life,
\nand disciples who loved Jesus but deserted him anyway,
\nMemories of Jesus who faced a last supper, a trial, an angry mob, and death,
\nWho died on a cross pleading \u201cMy God, my God, why have You forsaken me?\u201d[i]<\/span><\/a>
\nAnd yet forgave a thief on a nearby cross
\nand commended his spirit to God;
\nAnd memories of Jesus lying in a tomb
\nWhile people waited<\/em> in despair!<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Seeking ways to focus on what is truly important,
\nSeeking ways to hold and care for others,
\nto treasure acts of kindness and courage,
\nSeeking in silence and prayer
\nand in the active giving of love on this uncharted trail
\ntoward healing and justice and wholeness.<\/p>\n