Today is 6th January 2021. I found this reflection on the pandemic which I wrote in April 2020. It is probably still pertinent.
Yesterday was Good Friday 2020. We are all in isolation because of COVID19. Yesterday I read the account of the crucifixion in Matt 27. One thing I noticed was that several people were watching Jesus as he hung dying.
“And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” (Matt. 27:39-43 ESV).
Later on, some heard him cry the cry of dereliction and commented, “He’s calling Elijah” (Matt 27:47b). Someone tried to give Jesus vinegar to drink. “The rest said, ‘Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.’” (Matt 27:49).
None of these people watching the crucifixion could imagine that God could be doing something in a dying man upon a cross. They were looking for something spectacular. It is highly debatable that these people would have become disciples of Christ if he had come down from the cross or if Elijah had come to his rescue.
I think that it is also true that so often we are looking for God to do something spectacular or obviously miraculous. We have trouble believing that God might be doing something in the midst of great darkness, difficulty and pain. But we need to grasp that those are the very places in which God works, just as he did in the cross.
So what are the ways God is working during the COVID19 pandemic? I have a few suggestions.
Many people have died and many more will die. People die all the time. Death is inevitable for all of us but during a pandemic we may be more cognizant of our mortality. Hopefully we will take this to heart and rethink our life choices.
But it is not just about mortality. Other things are happening. People are stuck together in their homes and don’t have the usual ways for getting away from each other, school, work, friends. We all have to put up with our families 24/7. Many people are now unemployed and struggling to keep up with expenses. Others are losing money on the stock market or the housing market. We are all without the usual entertainment outlets like cinemas, restaurants, pubs and clubs, not to mention the casino. COVID19 is exposing the truth about our relationships with our families, with our spouses, with ourselves. I spoke to someone this week who said that there is an increase in marital conflict and domestic violence.
For Christians, the isolation also means that we do not get to go to church. Going to church via Zoom is not the same thing. The COVID19 pandemic is changing the way church is done and it is also a means by which God is exposing our relationship issues with him. When church is easily accessible, it is easy to rely on going to church as our means of keeping in touch with God. Perhaps we don’t pray much at home but we do so at church. Perhaps we don’t read the Bible except on Sunday during the sermon. Perhaps we have used the excuse that we have no time to pray and read the Bible. But, except for a few people like doctors and nurses, we all have more time to do these things now. Has it changed things? It is easy to rely on pastors to act as a mediator between God and Christians. But pastors are not mediators. That position is given to Jesus alone. The pandemic and lack of church, particularly with its entertainment value, is exposing what is really happening with our relationship with God.
All these things are means by which God is exposing in us the kind of people that we are and the things which we rely on instead of relying on God. This pandemic is a time when we have an opportunity to trust God in ways we have not had to do so before.
I write this reflection on Holy Saturday. It is now 3:05 pm. Today my son was to be married at 3 pm and we were anticipating a huge celebration. I bought a fancy dress for the occasion. Family members were going to come from overseas for the wedding. I have been anticipating seeing my daughters for a long time. And it is not going to happen. There is a bit of grief there. Many people are separated from family, many have missed out on weddings and other great events, like graduations. We need to be aware that God is concerned for more than just these events and aspirations and what have you. His goals are larger than our hopes and dreams and expectations.