I just got back from a funeral. I was struck by the words of the Book of Common prayer and the relevance that they have for our whole life. In the midst of life we truly are in death. That's ultimately what Lent is about. Its a time for us to contemplate our mortality. But this Lenten season is especially meaningful, because in the midst of it is a pestilence the likes of which many of us have only seen in the movies. People are scared and that's to be understood.
But Christians should not see this as an opportunity to fear, but rather as a chance to live out what we have been practicing for the last few weeks. "From dust we have come, and to dust we will all return." I buried a man today, which is pretty typical for me, and like always I was able to contemplate my own demise. I thought about my own funeral. I though about what would be said, the songs that would be played, and the food that would be served immediately following the service. I do hope Lynette puts on a nice spread for you all.
But while I often contemplate such things, most of you never get that chance. Well here it is. Contemplate away! No seriously. Think about it. You aren't going to live for ever and this pandemic is a reminder of that.
Now we can run out and get our toilet tissue and water, but that's just another way to put off the contemplation. Some of you are running out to the store like mad people because in doing something, whatever that something might be, you're giving yourselves the illusion that you have some sort of control. You don't have any control, though, in reality. No... One day your going to catch something and it WILL be the death of you. Maybe you'll just get hit by a car. I don't know, but this is for certain... YOU WILL DIE!
But in whom will we seek for help? Not the CDC. Not the President or congress. Not our governor or even the people who provide health care. All of those people will only slow the inevitable.
"But you, O Lord..." Our help is only in the one who concurred death. That friends is the end of our contemplation. Jesus died and rose again so that those of us who have faith in Him, might rise with Him. We are going to die and that needs to be thought through, but the conclusion of all our thoughts needs to be that Jesus saves! That he promises resurrection life. Those other people can't do that. In fact some of them are even going to tell you that's an impossibility. But Jesus did it and for that we can be eternally thankful!
Covid19 in the middle of Lent then is a blessing for those of us who believe. Not a curse! For in the midst of all the panic, all the craziness and all the uncertainty we have Jesus! So then we can look death in the face and say, “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” For in Christ death, sin and the devil have been defeated and there is nothing that we should fear.
Now getting your hands on toilet paper? That's a different issue. If you like me were never afraid, because you knew Jesus had your back, then you are also like me probably running out. But we know that, "suffering produces perseverance..." In any respects we must not use this time as a time to fear, but a time to focus on things that are eternal. "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart." The Lord be with you all!
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