Faith in a Time of Crisis – Crisis and Opportunity in a Time of Pandemic

This is the first of a daily meditation during this time in which churches and schools are closing and anxiety is in the air. God is with us.

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I.
CRISIS AND OPPORTUNITY
I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of hands; for God did not give us a spirit of fear, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)

One version of the Chinese word for “crisis” describes a situation that joins danger and opportunity. With the emergence of COVID-19, we are clearly in a time of crisis both medically and spiritually. The future of this pandemic is uncertain. It has already transformed our lives. Our church service has been cancelled. Children’s and adult faith formation programs have been suspended. Barnstable schools will be closed for at least two weeks.

People’s buying habits and entertainment choices have changed. Mine certainly have! Icons of the USA such as Disneyworld, March Madness, the Masters, Boston Marathon, and the NBA basketball season have been temporarily postponed. Opening Day of our national pastime has been pushed back, contingent on the progress of the Coronavirus.

In response to the Coronavirus, many of us have cancelled holidays, family celebrations, and business trips. We have stocked up on toilet paper, canned soup, pasta, water, and in some cases adult beverages.

Most of us are anxious, and some of us are verging on panic. Denial of our fears and anxieties is not the solution. Life has changed and we must adapt. In contrast to denial, some are attributing to the Coronavirus the characteristics of an angry and omnipotent god, hellbent on destroying everything in its path, is not a solution either. In both cases, we give up our ability to respond creatively. We react, rather than act. We see ourselves as powerless at the mercy of malevolent forces beyond us.

From the vantage point of a German concentration camp, Viktor Frankl notes that “everything can be taken from a person except one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in a given set of circumstances, to choose one’s way.” Moreover, according to Frankl, “when we are not able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

Let us choose peace, love, compassion, and caring. Faith not fear.

These days, we need to claim our vocation as God’s children, wise, active, and compassion. We can bring beauty to the world despite the challenges of the Coronavirus.

As followers of Jesus, we are not victims, but actors and agents, who can partner with God in healing the world one action at a time. In the weeks ahead, let us choose to live by love and not fear. Let us claim our freedom to choose healthy habits, explore new forms of behavior, and reach out to persons in need.

Prayer: Holy God, remind us to choose love and not fear. Help us to trust that the future is your hands. Guided by your love, let us choose to be your companions in changing the world. Let this crisis become an opportunity for service, hospitality and love. In Christ’s Name. Amen.

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Bruce Epperly is a Cape Cod pastor, teacher, and author of over 50 books including, “Process Theology: Embracing Adventure with God,” “Become Fire: Guideposts for Interspiritual Pilgrims,” and “The Mystic in You: Discovering a God-filled World.”