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| Remnants |
As I was making masks, I noticed the pile of remnants that grew on the bed. I was reminded of the remnants that would have laid in a similar pile from Lazarus.
It seemed to me that getting well, and new life, often come with a bit of a mess.
When Jesus comes to the tomb for Lazarus, Mary and Martha are upset that he is too late. He did not come in time. Jesus has let them down--and they were his friends.
This virus is a leveling event. No matter your status, your politics, your denomination, your place of worship, your social status, or the number of times you pray in a day, this virus is not picky, all people are vulnerable.
I think that sometimes we can be like Mary and Martha and think that if we pray just right, that if we have an "iin" with Jesus that bad things will not happen to us.
There is promise in this scripture, when we think Jesus has shown up too late, Christ meets us in our grief and weeps with us. And that new life comes with a mess and often requires community.
When Lazarus is called out of the tomb, Jesus turns to the community and says; "unbind him." Now Lazarus has been in the tomb for days, so we can imagine that this is not a pleasant job. There will be an odor, there will be dirt, and maybe even some bugs.
How appropriate to think that the healing of this virus will require community.
As we look at the remnants of the hospital wards may our prayers acknowledge the mess that comes with healing and pray for the healers.
As we stand unable to do much from our homes, remember that Christ's comfort may simply come in shared grief. Christ cries with us.
As we listen to the worlds's lament may we be the community that gently unwraps the wounded.
And when this is over may we stand at the door of our neighbor and call them back to the living. May we remind them that the world waits for them.
Toni Morrison wrote: “It started that way: laughing children, dancing men, crying women and then it got mixed up. Women stopped crying and danced; men sat down and cried; children danced, women laughed, children cried until, exhausted and riven, all and each lay about the Clearing damp and gasping for breath. In the silence that followed, Baby Sugg, offered up to them her great big heart.”
