The Vicar's "Two Penn'orth"
September 2020:
Faith in the time of Covid 19
Faith in the time of Covid 19
Rev Paul, Vicar of Hoylake writes ...
The phrase ‘not out of the woods yet’ surely strikes a chord with us all - the feeling of ‘here we go again’ as we enter not only a local lockdown but into more government restrictions.
I know it is all necessary to try and slow down the infection rate, but I also know many of you are feeling weary and some are, without doubt, feeling afraid. It says in Isaiah 43:1 “Don't fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine.” God actually commands us not to fear or worry. However, Covid 19 is a silent killer, we can’t see it approaching or know where it is or even who has it. It is true that many test positive without having any symptoms. What do we do? How do we live? Of course, one of the answers would be to find a vaccine to protect us, but even that seems a long way off. Right now, many people: scientists, researchers, and doctors are flooding the internet with information and advice. Our Prime Minister and his advisors are trying to find the right balance between economic disaster and keeping people safe.
It seems to me that life at this present time is risky doing things we once did without any thought; it is risky even being with our loved ones. I wonder what Jesus would make of all this?
Jesus was used to living in dangerous times, just look at the way they treated lepers - they were banished to live in secluded places, left to die and forgotten about. Jesus was not afraid to heal the lepers that came to him; in fact he had great compassion for them. Scripture informs us in 2 Corinthians, verses 1,3, 4 :
I know it is all necessary to try and slow down the infection rate, but I also know many of you are feeling weary and some are, without doubt, feeling afraid. It says in Isaiah 43:1 “Don't fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine.” God actually commands us not to fear or worry. However, Covid 19 is a silent killer, we can’t see it approaching or know where it is or even who has it. It is true that many test positive without having any symptoms. What do we do? How do we live? Of course, one of the answers would be to find a vaccine to protect us, but even that seems a long way off. Right now, many people: scientists, researchers, and doctors are flooding the internet with information and advice. Our Prime Minister and his advisors are trying to find the right balance between economic disaster and keeping people safe.
It seems to me that life at this present time is risky doing things we once did without any thought; it is risky even being with our loved ones. I wonder what Jesus would make of all this?
Jesus was used to living in dangerous times, just look at the way they treated lepers - they were banished to live in secluded places, left to die and forgotten about. Jesus was not afraid to heal the lepers that came to him; in fact he had great compassion for them. Scripture informs us in 2 Corinthians, verses 1,3, 4 :
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
I don’t think he ever touched them and in the Gospel he was careful to send them to the priest so they could be allowed to rejoin society. It’s no different than today really, we are told not to touch or hug people and those who are sick are isolated and I hope treated a lot more kindly than they were in Jesus’s day.
In order to protect each other we have to keep our distance. We have to wear masks and gloves when appropriate and follow the rules. However, there is a yet more powerful rule and that is the great command to love our neighbour as ourselves.
The power of prayer, which flows from the body of Christ, reaching out to the God of our salvation is needed every bit as much as the NHS. Healing must be body mind and spirit - all work together to achieve that aim. In these difficult times, lets pull together and work for the good of all, keeping each other in prayer, keeping each other safe and watching out for our friends and neighbours.
St Paul writing to the Philippians reminds us with these words:
In order to protect each other we have to keep our distance. We have to wear masks and gloves when appropriate and follow the rules. However, there is a yet more powerful rule and that is the great command to love our neighbour as ourselves.
The power of prayer, which flows from the body of Christ, reaching out to the God of our salvation is needed every bit as much as the NHS. Healing must be body mind and spirit - all work together to achieve that aim. In these difficult times, lets pull together and work for the good of all, keeping each other in prayer, keeping each other safe and watching out for our friends and neighbours.
St Paul writing to the Philippians reminds us with these words:
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves."
Your friend,
Rev Paul,
Vicar of Hoylake
Vicar of Hoylake
