Physical Distancing Message and Meditation 9

 

Fr. Tony’s Physical Distancing Message and Meditation 9

March 31, 2020

Meditation:

Three Prayers for Those in Physical Isolation

For Those Who Live Alone (BCP 829)

Almighty God, whose Son had nowhere to lay his head: Grant that those who live alone may not be lonely in their solitude, but that, following in his steps, they may find fulfillment in loving you and their neighbors; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Quiet Confidence (BCP 832)

O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we will be saved, in quietness and confidence will be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, to your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Absent (BCP 830)

O God, whose fatherly care reaches to the uttermost parts of the earth: We humbly beseech you graciously to behold and bless whom we love, now absent from us. Defend them from all dangers of soul and body; and grant that both they and we, drawing nearer to you, may be bound together by your love in the communion of your Holy Spirit, and in the fellowship of your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Message:

Here is a message on keeping well even when we have to brave the outside world in this environment that I found very reasonable.  I hope my fellow Trinitarians find it helpful and of interest:  

When you can’t #StayHome but need to stay safe from COVID-19

Connie Nguyen

Mar 25 · 

In November, a day before Thanksgiving, I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. In early January, I read about reports coming out of China about a new virus, SARS-CoV-2, that was dangerous to the elderly, people with preexisting conditions, and the immunocompromised. While going through cancer treatment that includes eight sessions of chemotherapy, which destroys my immune system, I have to worry about a virus that can kill me. I became diligent; I read everything I could about the virus and COVID-19, the disease it causes. Information became my weapon. There isn’t much I can control about the virus or the disease, but there are steps I can take to keep myself safe.

While it’s best for everyone to #StayHome to slow the spread of the COVID-19 disease, we know that not all have the privilege to stay home, because maybe you have an employer that isn’t giving you time off, or you have bills to pay: rent, groceries, medical bills, student loans, etc. Many workers, such as public transit workers, are making sure that doctors and nurses are getting where they need to go, but we need these workers to stay healthy, too!

Here are some tips to stay safe. We realize that it may not be possible to do everything listed below, but we care about your health and encourage you to try your best.

·                Maintain distance from people. Ideally, you would have a barrier between you and other people — the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends at least six feet of distance. Definitely avoid large gatherings of people. And if you’re delivering something, perhaps dropping off groceries for an elderly parent, you should do so by putting the items down somewhere for them to grab, so there’s no risk of person-to-person contact.

·                Use gloves and change them often. When handling packages or touching anything, really, you should wear gloves. Ideally, you would use disposable latex gloves, but winter gloves or other types of gloves will do in a pinch. COVID-19 can stay on cardboard for up to 24 hours, and for up to three days on plastic and metal. Don’t forget to wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds after you take off your gloves, before you eat, touch your face, or touch your personal belongings. Definitely change gloves if you directly touch another person. If you’re using non-disposable gloves, wash them frequently!

·                Wear masks. We know that there is a limited supply of masks and that N95 masks should be prioritized for health care workers, so any face covering (even scarves and bandanas) is better than nothing. COVID-19 is spread through aerosolized droplets, and although wearing homemade masks may not have 100% protection from the virus, you can still stop most of the droplets from getting close to your nose and mouth. More importantly, wearing a mask also protects others in case you have COVID-19 without knowing it. When wearing a mask, please try your best to avoid touching the outside of the mask. The mask will not be useful at all if you touch a used mask, then touch your face afterwards. The mask can carry a lot of germs, so be very careful when handling it. Please wash your face thoroughly (for more than 20 seconds) with facial soap or facial cleanser. Assuming that you are reusing your mask, please store the mask in a separate area or in a zip-close bag. If you are going to reuse the mask, it can be disinfected by putting it in the oven for 30 minutes at 158°F.

·                Personal grooming. Long nails are a place where viruses like to live, and they are harder to clean, so keep your nails short. You should be clean-shaven if you are going to wear a mask, because masks should fit tightly to your face (also, viruses can live on facial hair).

·                Wash your hands with soap often and for more than 20 seconds! Sing the ‘’Happy Birthday’’ song, or sing the alphabet song. When washing your hands, rub your hands with soap, clean between your fingers, and clean your fingernails, too.

·                Keep hand sanitizer nearby and use it. Rub the hand sanitizer on all parts of your hands, not just the palms. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 70% alcohol is most effective.

·                Shower when you get home, wash your clothes, and clean your surfaces. Consider having outside clothes and inside clothes. As outside clothes, wear clothes that are easy to take off (not button-down shirts, for example) and throw them directly into the laundry basket that you should keep in the garage or near the entrance of your home. Shower when you get home, but wash your hands before you shower. Wash and change your towels often. Keeping good personal hygiene and maintaining a clean home will help lower the spread of germs.

·                Plan extra travel time in your commute. If the bus or train pulls up and is packed, choose an emptier car or wait to take the next one. Bike or walk to work, if you can.

·                Sanitize your workspaces. And keep clean the spots that you touch often, including steering wheels, doorknobs, light switches, remote controls, sink and toilet handles, etc. You can use sanitizer, alcohol wipes, or water and soap.

·                If you’re sick, take sick days (if you can!), and follow the guidelines from the CDC.

·                Prioritize your mental health as much as your physical health. Your emotional well-being is essential to your physical well-being. Take intentional breaks when you can, stay in touch with your friends and family, and remember to take deep breaths.

If you found this post helpful, please share it with others!

P.S. In addition to the federal safety requirements that businesses must follow, some states have established rules for employers regarding COVID-19 and safety. If you think that your employer isn’t meeting these requirements, there might be a form for you to fill out to complain (for example, here’s a form from Oregon); we encourage you to look it up on your state’s labor board website or on the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) website. Also, many workers are demanding more from their employers and the government, with workers demanding better sick leave policies from Whole Foods and Kroger and nurses asking the Trump administration to release PPEs (personal protective equipment). If you have cause for a petition, consider creating one here— it only takes a minute!

---

Sources:

1. “Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) advice for public,” World Health Organization https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

2. “The Dos and Don’ts of ‘Social Distancing,’” The Atlantic

https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/03/coronavirus-what-does-social-distancing-mean/607927/

3. “The New Coronavirus Can Live On Surfaces For 2–3 Days — Here’s How To Clean Them,” NPR

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/14/811609026/the-new-coronavirus-can-live-on-surfaces-for-2-3-days-heres-how-to-clean-them

4. “People are making DIY masks to fight coronavirus. But do they actually work?,” USA Today

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/23/homemade-coronavirus-masks-do-they-actually-block-spread/2899622001/

5. “Coronavirus in Austin: How to clean and disinfect your space,” Austin American-Statesman

https://www.statesman.com/entertainmentlife/20200318/coronavirus-in-austin-how-to-clean-and-disinfect-your-space

6. “COVID-19 Evidence Service | Addressing COVID-19 Face Mask Shortages [v1.2],” Stanford Medicine

Grace and Peace.

Fr. Tony+

Life to the Dead (Lent 5A)

Life to the Dead
Homily delivered the Fifth Sunday of Lent (Lent 5A RCL)

The Rev. Fr. Tony Hutchinson, SCP, Ph.D.
29 March 2020; 10:00 a.m. Ante-Communion with Hymns

Recorded and posted on facebook.com/trinityashland 
Parish Church of Trinity, Ashland (Oregon)
Readings:  Ezekiel 37:1-14; Romans 8:6-11; John 11:1-45; Psalm 130

God, give us hearts to feel and love,

take away our hearts of stone
 and give us hearts of flesh. Amen.

Elena and I had a major trial in our faith just after we were married while we just starting our own family. We had become friends with a young couple. After several years, they were finally able to get pregnant and had a beautiful little baby boy. After a month or so, though, it became apparent that sometime was wrong. He had been born with a genetic defect: the upper layers of his skin were not fully connected with the deeper layers. If you touched him slightly on the arm, it quickly would turn into a large blister, would easily burst and become infected. There was little that the doctors could do. Despite two months in intensive care, the baby’s body was covered with second-degree burns.  His parents were not allowed to touch him, so they could not even comfort him as he screamed his little life out in agony. During the ordeal, we prayed. Our friends prayed. And the baby suffered and slowly died.

It is not the only time in my life when I witnessed the unbearable, wondering if God existed at all, or if so, how he could be good and loving.   My mother-in-law, after a long life of hard work and joyful service, deserved, to our minds at least, the golden years with her children and grandchildren.  But cancer robbed her of that, and us of her.  My father, whose faith in God, love for others, and joy in living was such a sign for me as a young man of God’s love, also did not get what appeared his just reward.  Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease robbed him, bit by bit, of his personality and memory, and left his sweetheart, my mother, bereft and abandoned.    

Life can seem at times to be a string of scenes where God, if Good, seems absent or impotent, or if Almighty and ever-present, seems to be a monster.  There is no way to get our heads, let alone our hearts, around it.  Maybe the problem is the term “Almighty.”  A much better translation, I think, would be “All Nurturing.”  The point is not that God can do anything, but that there is no situation so bad that God cannot help. 

Many of us have been praying these last few weeks, hoping that God would stem the tide of the pandemic.  The infection rates have begun to spike, as predicted.  Entering into physical distancing and isolation and quarantine, we have seen our old way of life undone.  Many in our community now have gone into self-quarantine. With the shortage of test kits, most can’t even know if we actually have the virus.  But we are beginning to see cases both here and in Medford.  We have seen our world’s economy devastated, and the livelihoods of millions destroyed.  Our local economy in large part has gone by the boards.  We pray and still hope against hope that we and those we love will be spared worse.  But we cannot see into the future.  If deaths from the pandemic begin to appear in our community and among those we love, we will feel the sense of betrayal all the more.    

From the beginning, people of faith have had to deal with unfulfilled hope, and apparent abandonment.  In today’s Gospel, both Mary and Martha separately confront Jesus about his delay in responding to their plea to come and help their brother Lazarus:  “If you had been here, he would not have died.”  When Martha asks it, she adds hopefully “Even now, I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” She does not dare ask him to raise her brother from the dead; she has already been disappointed enough in Jesus.  Jesus’s answer, “Your brother will rise again,” draws an ironic, almost bitter reply from Martha, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection—on the last day!” She leaves unsaid what she is feeling, “But that doesn’t do us much good here and now, does it?” 

Jesus replies, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She replies, timidly, “Yes, Lord, I believe”—not that her brother will come forth again—but “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”  She trusts Jesus, but is too beaten down by grief to hope for anything concrete for her brother.  

When Mary in her turn confronts Jesus about his delay and lack of help, she is reduced to weeping.  Jesus does not reply.  Observing this scene of grief he himself is deeply moved.  The Greek says simply “his insides were put into turmoil.”  And when they show him the place where the body lies, he begins weeping.

So the bystanders say, “See how he loved him!” But others take it as an occasion to doubt Jesus: “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

When confronted with horror, we respond with despair, or sometimes with what seems to be unwarranted persevering trust.  At other times we blame others, questioning their motives or abilities.  We’ve seen that in this current crisis as well. 

But then in the story, Jesus performs a sign pointing to the mystery of God being present here in Jesus, this Jesus who weeps and suffers along side us. It is his last great sign before the cross and its inevitable sequel: coming forth victorious from the tomb. 

He raises from the dead his friend Lazarus, something that Martha hoped for, but was afraid to ask.  He raises him not to life eternal and transformed.  Remember that, Lazarus’ resurrection on the last day would not have comforted Martha, who wanted her brother back here and now.  Jesus gives Martha and Mary what they want, and brings Lazarus back from the grave to this mortal life.

The author of the Gospel of John tells us: “...these things are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through faith in him you may have life” (John 20:31).  As this story tells us, it matters little whether it is life here and now or life on the last day. 

In Dostoyevsky’s great novel Crime and Punishment, this story plays a central role.  Young radical Raskolnikov has committed a murder and theft to even, as he thinks, the score of social injustice. But he suffers from guilt and self-loathing from it.  He meets a young prostitute, Sonya, forced into sex work to feed her younger siblings.  She herself once suffered from guilt and self-loathing.  At the main turning point in the novel, she tells Raskolnikov what changed her: this story from John’s Gospel. She reads it to him. It is hard for her. Her voice breaks several times, she pauses and stammers, but she reads the whole luminous tale. 

When Jesus says, “Whoever believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Sonya draws a painful breath, and reads on, in her own voice “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who should come into the world.”  The story changes Raskolnikov’s heart.  He begins the long hard process of regaining his own humanity. In the end, there is redemption and joy, both for him and Sonya, who accompanies him to Siberia to help him through his penal exile. 

When Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, he leaves the deed unfinished.  Lazarus comes forth, but Jesus tells Mary and Martha to untie the funeral cloths, to “unbind him.”    That is how it is with us: We, though alive back from the dead, remain bound and paralyzed by the grief and disappointment we have felt. Jesus tells us to unbind each other, to complete the miracle.  Sonya goes to Siberia with Rakolnikov, we assist one another in this ordeal.  We share in being present for each other. 

Beloved,  I have known the healing and strength of Jesus.  I have seen what can only be called him giving life to the dead.  And with Martha, and with Sonya, I say with all my heart, “Yes, Lord Jesus. I trust you.  I believe, I give my heart, to you.”

Beloved, we are going to get through this.  In fear and anxiety, we will find Jesus mighty to save, and always at our side in whatever we have to go through.  In illness and even in death, we will see that the way of the Cross is the way of light and life.  As St. Julian of Norwich taught, all will be well, all will be well, and all manner of thing will be well. 

In the name of God, Amen. 

To Bless the Space Between Us (DPDMM 8)

Fr. Tony’s (Nearly) Daily Physical Distancing Message & Meditation 8 

March 27, 2020

To Bless the Space Between Us

I imagine that many of you are like me about now, just beginning to hunker down emotionally into what looks to be a longer-term isolation.  News of increasing infection rates, conflicting accounts of how to best disinfect and stay safe (Should I scrupulously disinfect packages and groceries coming into the house? Or is washing hands, not touching my face, and sanitizing hands enough?), an economic recession teetering on a depression gutting our savings portfolios—it all is unknown territory, an undiscovered country, and we are prone to fear, anxiety, and, God forbid, can lapse into despair.   It is times like these that call us to be all the more intentional in our reaching out to others, even if only by phone, across a 6 foot divide, or by video-conference. 

John O’Donohue, in his book of blessings, To Bless the Space Between Us, writes the following  blessing “For Presence,” which can be held and nurtured even when physically separated: 

Awaken to the mystery of being here
and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence.

Have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.

Receive encouragement when new frontiers beckon.

Respond to the call of your gift and the courage to
follow its path.

Let the flame of anger free you of all falsity.

May warmth of heart keep your presence aflame.

May anxiety never linger about you.

May your outer dignity mirror an inner dignity of
soul.

Take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek
no attention.

Be consoled in the secret symmetry of your soul.

May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven
around the heart of wonder.

This is a time for rest and respite.  Do not lose hope.  Wash your hands thoroughly and often.   Stay at home, and keep 6 feet away from others.  Rest, take naps, and cultivate calm and hope in your hearts.  Do not seek to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs in your seclusion.  Care for those you are with, and be gentle to them and to yourself. 

Grace and Peace. 

Fr. Tony+

PDMM 7 -- Stay Calm and Carry On

Father Tony's (Nearly) Daily Physical Distancing  Message and Meditation 7:  Stay Calm and Carry On

We are all starting to feel the effects of cabin fever and what Psychologist Lori Gottleib calls “plague dread.”

Here are a couple of her suggestions to stay balanced:

Practice the BOTH/AND method: Don't say “It’s horrible and I just can't carry on.” Rather say: “It’s horrible AND we can still relax, rest, and be calm.”

Do not check the news every few minutes. A daily update from a reliable source is needed. But bingeing on news is like stress eating--it’s bloating our minds with unhealthy food that will make us feel sick.”

Keep your anxiety harnessed to tasks and things you can accomplish, like washing hands thoroughly and often, keeping 6 feet away from others, sanitizing surfaces, and staying home. Then let go of the things over which you have no control. Random, generalized anxiety, unchecked worrying, and feeding on and passing to others terror-ridden rumors, makes our minds and hearts spin into all kinds of frightening directions and robs us of the ability to be rational and deliberate in our response to this crisis. 

                               Keep calm and carry on. 

                               Practice good physical distancing rules. 

                               Know that you are beloved. 

                               We will get through this. 

                                    Grace and Peace. 

                                    ~ Fr. Tony+ 

Covid-19 Message and Meditation 6 -- 3-24-20

Please read the Executive Order issued by the Governor yesterday closing unessential businesses and ordering further physical distancing rules by following this link: EO 20-12   

Trinity staff is doing as much as we can from home, and coming in only sporadically and for short times for the few essential things we cannot do from our home computers and phones.    These messages may not longer be daily, given the challenge of getting in to the office for the large email distribution lists here.  But they will continue regularly.

For those of you who missed last Sunday's service, a recording of it has been posted on my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/the.rev.dr.anthony.hutchinson/posts/10221780472956657  (open to the public)

To find our daily Morning Prayer (8:30 a.m. M-Sat) and Sunday Service (10 a.m.) live streams, go to Trinity Episcopal Church

Click on this about 5 minutes before the service begins.  It sometimes takes a little time to login and find the feed, in the main feed as you scroll down. 

MEDITATION:

Times of fear and turmoil bring multiple distractions that emotionally and mentally lead us down many a strange rabbit hole.  We may be so drawn to find information  that we watch social media feeds or cable news endlessly, or even in the middle of the night when we wake.  As important as it is to keep up to date on what is going on, we need to pace ourselves and not become obsessed with quick updates or addicted to the titillation of bad news.  Stay informed and follow the most up-to-date medical and public health instructions.  But also learn to focus on the essential, to center yourself in the calm and respite this enforced isolation can bring.  

On Christmas Eve in 1513, just as the glories of the Italian Renaissance were fixing to unravel under the pressure of the  Reformation and wars of religion, an Italian Humanist (possibly the Franciscan friar, architect, and classical scholar Fra Giovanni Giocondo) wrote the following letter to a colleague: 

"I salute you. I am your friend and my love for you goes deep. There is nothing I can give you which you have not got. But there is much, very much, that while I cannot give it, you can take. No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in today. Take heaven! No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present little instance. Take peace! The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. Take joy! Life is so full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty . . . that you will find earth but cloaks your heaven. Courage then to claim it, that is all! . . . And so I greet you, with profound esteem and with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away."

The gloom of this world is indeed but a shadow, and as we prepare to celebrate Holy Week in new ways during this physical distancing, we must remember that the day will break, and the shadows flee. 

Be well, stay safe, wash your hands, stay at home, and

Accept Grace and Peace.  

--Fr. Tony+

The Pool of Sending (Lent 4A)

The Pool of Sending 

22 March 2020

Fourth Sunday in Lent Year A

1 Samuel 16:1-13; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41; Psalm 23

Live-streamed Said Ante-Communion with organ and hymns

Trinity Episcopal Church, Ashland, Oregon

The Rev. Dr. Anthony Hutchinson, SCP, homilist 

God, take away our hearts of stone, and give us hearts of flesh.  Amen

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. 

This last week, we saw hoarding of food, medicines, hygiene products, and, sadly, a doubling or trebling of gun and ammunition sales, presumably to kill anyone even thinking of raiding our toilet paper hoard.

But then, we saw our neighborhoods, circles of friends,  and diverse faith communities rally together to care for each other in unprecedented ways.  Here at Trinity, we’ve had large numbers of people attending Church services every single day via live streaming on Facebook or interactive Zoom video conference. An enhanced pastoral care team has been calling every single member of the parish to check on welfare, condition, and needs, and to pass on needed information in these scary times.  Though in some ways we are all shut-ins in this environment, some parishioners more able to get out have been going on grocery or pharmacy runs for others less able to brave public venues even with physical separation rules and anti-contagion hygienic practices in place.   One near-80-year-old, wanting to respect the isolation rules but unwilling to forsake friendship and mutual support, took a bottle of wine and a single glass, and went to an unaccompanied neighbor’s home, and, sitting 6 feet apart and touching no surfaces, shared wine the friend (each with their own bottle and glass), helping them both break out of a blue funk.  I have received out of the blue from three separate parishioners checks for $1,000 for the parish almonry, to help those in the parish who are struggling due to lost income.  And most of you, now that you don’t have a collection plate to place it in, have begun to now send in your pledges, tithes, and offerings by mail.  Blessings all around in a hard time. 

In times like these, we often ask “Why did this have to happen?” or even “Who is to blame?”  Some self-styled Evangelicals have said the Covid-19 contagion is God’s punishment because of our wickedness, or the wickedness of the Chinese.  Such a blame game makes us unable to respond to the catastrophe in a positive or helpful manner.  It places the blame not only on the flavor of the day target—be it foreigners, gays, lesbians, trans people, working mothers, people who seek or give abortions, socialists, or communists.  Above all, it places the blame on GOD, who supposedly is cursing us for wickedness.   Wrong, wrong, wrong. 

When Jesus hears his followers ask, “Why? Who is to blame for this man born blind?” he turns it around:  don’t ask who to blame, but ask how to help.  “Neither he nor his parents sinned; but God intended it so that I may have the chance to heal him!” 

He stops, spits into the dirt and makes a bit of mud with which to smear the man’s eyes.  He then sends him to wash it off in the pool of Siloam.  He does so, gains his sight, and becomes a witness to Jesus. 

The disability and hardships of the man born bind are a symbol for the disabilities and hardships we all live with.  Note at the end of the story:  Jesus’ opponents are spiritually blind though they physically see; the man once blind now has clear vision both in body and soul.  At different times, we are all that man born blind, or those opponents of Jesus. 

Jesus here takes the initiative, not the blind man. He mixes mud and heals the man without being asked.  It is an act of creation, like in Genesis 3, where Yahweh as a potter sculpts the mud into a human being before breathing on it to give it life.  

Jesus sends the man to the pool of Siloam, the pool of “sending.”  This is the same landmark that appears in the Isaiah cycle of stories: King Ahaz was afraid of not having enough water in the city to withstand a siege by the Assyrians, so he prepared to manage his fears by making an alliance with Assyria.  No, Isaiah told him, trust that God will provide adequate water for the city in the spring of Siloah, located within the walls.  The King, doubtful, turns to the Assyrians, ultimately to his ruin and the ruin of his people.  God speaks to Isaiah in an oracle, “this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and melt in fear before” the local tyrants. (Isa. 8:6).  It is to this spring that Jesus sends the blind man. 

Jesus sends the cured man to the “Pool of Sending”; Jesus here says “I must do the work of my father who sent me into the world.”  Later in the Gospel, the risen Lord says to his followers,  “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  He then breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20:21-22).   When Jesus heals us, he sends us to others bearing the joy of resurrection and healing, powered by his Spirit.  

For whatever reason we have been sent into isolation.  Let’s not ask that “why, on what account” question.  It is scary and it is unfamiliar.  We might feel like a small child sent for a time out, fearful of what else might come from an angry parent.  But remember, God loves us, and hates nothing he has made.  He is “slow to anger and of great kindness.”

Don’t ask,  “Who’s to blame.”  

Remember Fred Roger’s words of advice to children afraid of scary events in the world:  When bad things happen, look for the helpers.  We’ve seen plenty so far, and will see plenty more.  More than just looking for the helpers, let’s try to BE helpers.   

For right now, at least for the next few weeks, the single most important thing we can do to help is stay 6 feet away from others, despite our feeling of isolation, and our fear.  Practice good hygiene, with thorough hand-washing, cough-covering, staying home when sick, and surface sanitizing, even it we feel a little foolish at times and wonder if it’s overblown.  Rest assured: It is not overkill. 

I saw a meme earlier in the week:  Don’t wash your hands to keep from being infected.  Assume you’re already infected, and wash to keep others from getting sick.   Wash them not out of fear, but out of love.  Don’t blame, but find ways to help. 

We do not come to God through our own efforts.  It is God who stops and smears our eyes with mud, who creates us anew, and gives sight.   We’ve been doing a lot of praying of late.  But this is because it changes us, not because it changes God’s heart.  It is not our piteous cries “Save us from the plague” that move God to help us, God already intends just that.  However good it is for our hearts to reveal such deeply felt need to God. 

God knows what we need better than we do, and wishes ill for none of his creatures.    Like the blind man, we may beg for a few crusts of bread, for enough sustenance to get through the day, and Jesus gives him sight.  We may pray for a health and a flattening of the infection rate curve. God may or not grant us what we seek.  But the important thing is this: God has things in mind for us things that are, in the words of the Prayer Book, “more than we can ask or imagine.”  

In all of this pain and fear, there is grace.  The best of times, the worst of times.  It is important that we respond to grace, and let it blossom, not feed our fear, diminishing us.

When God, for his own purposes and in his own time, reaches out to heal us, he sends us.  It is one and the same thing.  He asks us to wash the mud off.  Wash not in fear, but in love. 

To the pool of Siloam, we must go.  And if we trust him, we do what he asks even if it doesn’t correspond to what it was that we thought we wanted.  We trust even through our fear and disappointment. And we care for each other, even when we must preserve physical separation. 

We have had people who are not part of the parish call and email asking to be put on our email distribution because they want to participate in our virtual way of doing Church in this hard time.  An unexpected interesting blessing, more than we have asked or imagined.  But it is evangelism, it is mission, it is sending. 

Beloved ones—keep the faith, trust God!  The Church may have left the building, but it is alive and well in all of us, separate though we must be.  We are the body and blood of Christ, broken to feed the world, even though at this time we cannot share in real food at Christ’s table. 

Jesus asked that man to wash off the mud from his eyes—we are asked to wash our hands often and thoroughly.  Jesus sent him to a public spring.  We now are sent to be off on our own for several weeks.

Why did this health crisis happen?  How did we get to this point?  Who knows?  Epidemiologists need to ask this to find a way of stemming the contagion.  Policy makers may need to ask it to draw lessons learned to avoid making the same errors again.  But we need not ask why, at least not right now.  Asking not why, but how to help, we find in this pandemic a chance to learn to love each other in new ways, serve one another more deeply, comfort and support each other, showing Christ’s healing love in this troubled, troubled world. 

In the name of Christ, Amen. 

Fr. Tony's Daily Physical Distancing Message and Meditation 5 -- Spiritual Communion

Fr. Tony's Daily Physical Distancing Message and Meditation 5

 Spiritual Communion

March 21, 2020 

I am feeling hungry and famished from our externally enforced Eucharistic Fast.  Here is an excerpt from Forward Movement's St. Augustine Prayer Book that reminds us of an ancient Christian practice to commune even when we cannot partake of the bread and wine, the body and the blood.

Spiritual Communion

The Book of Common Prayer reminds us that if one is unable to actually consume the consecrated bread and wine due to extreme sickness or disability, the desire is enough for God to grant all the benefits of communion (BCP, p. 457). When being present at a celebration of the Eucharist is absolutely impossible, this act of prayer and meditation can provide the means by which you can associate yourself with the Eucharistic Action and open yourself to God’s grace and blessing.
Blessed be God, + Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.

Let the power of the Holy Spirit come upon me, O Lord, to mercifully cleanse my heart and defend me from all adversities; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door I will come in to you and eat with you and you with me.

The Psalm: Psalm 23:5-6
You prepare a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over. Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The Gospel: John 15:5
I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me, you can do nothing.

If time and circumstances permit, either the Apostles’ Creed, (p. 20), or the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love, (p. 65) may be said.

In your own words, pray for your own needs, for those on your heart, for the peace of the world, and for the Church.

After offering these intercessions, continue with the Act of Contrition:

O God, I am very sorry that I have sinned against you and for all the wrongs I have done and the good I have not done. Especially I confess….  Forgive me for Jesus’ sake, and grant me strength and wisdom to amend my life. Amen.

Act of Reception

In union, blessed Jesus, with the faithful gathered at every altar of your Church where your blessed Body and Blood are offered this day, (and remembering particularly my own parish and those worshiping there) I long to offer you praise and thanksgiving, for creation and all the blessings of this life, for the redemption won for us by your life, death, and resurrection, for the means of
grace and the hope of glory. And particularly for the blessings given me…. I believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament, and, since I cannot at this time receive communion, I pray you to come into my heart. I unite myself with you and embrace you with all my heart, my soul, and my mind. Let nothing separate me from you; let me serve you in this life until, by your grace, I come to your glorious kingdom and unending peace. Amen.

 Our Father…

Come Lord Jesus, and dwell in my heart in the fullness of your strength; be my wisdom and guide me in right pathways; conform my life and actions to the image of your holiness; and, in the power of your gracious might, rule over every hostile power that threatens or disturbs the growth of your kingdom, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

And may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep my heart and mind in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ my Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, + the Son and the Holy Spirit, be with me now and always. Amen.

(From Saint Augustine’s Prayer Book.© 2014 Forward Movement) 

Stay well, be safe, and accept grace and peace.
--Fr. Tony+