Department of Silver Linings

As I have mentioned, the pandemic threw a monkey wrench into my daughter's wedding plans.  This was their original big weekend.  When she left Arkansas March 8 after putting the final touches on the plans, she was expecting her next trip to be the actual celebration this weekend.  We "should" be winding up the rehearsal and heading for a wonderful Italian meal with toasts and (slightly embarrassing) stories about the special couple.  One little issue would have (literally) clouded their plans - it has been storming to beat the band all day and is forecast to do so tomorrow as well.  I don't mean a little rain.  I mean hard wind and flood warnings. They would be just as married if we all had droopy (in my case, frizzy) hair, but I know she would be disappointed that there were no outdoor pictures, and nasty weather would complicate every movement (and there are many) throughout the weekend.  That may be an effort to make lemonade out of lemons, but we will have another run at this - newest plan is June 26, 2021.  They will have an engagement that exceeds 2 years, but they have seemed like a married couple for awhile now, and we will celebrate them when it is safe to do so with their special people in attendance.

Could there be other surprising silver linings to this devastating  disease that has spread such misery and fear?  Let me be clear - in no way am I minimizing the suffering and loss of life and income that have befallen so many.  My heart breaks at the pictures on the news feed, and I believe God's heart breaks at human suffering.  But I see at least 2 things occurring that bring me hope.

For one, there appears to be some healing of Mother Earth as human movement has been brought to a virtual standstill.  It can be observed from the space station that pollution is remarkably reduced.  We have grown so accustomed to our cars and out ability to travel anywhere we wish, I doubt we could have achieved this result through policy or will power alone, especially since we disagree so heartily about whether trashing the environment poses a significant risk.

I also see signs that the systemic factors that separate the "haves" from the "have nots" have been shown in sharp relief by the covid-19 pandemic.  Enough data has been amassed, even at what the experts caution is an early stage, to show without doubt that the suffering wrought by the corona virus has fallen heavily on the disadvantaged.  Higher  rates of infection, higher death rates, greater food and housing insecurity, loss of hope - all have hit racial minorities and those on the margins of society with exceptional viciousness.  May we be forever shamed and moved beyond the present crisis that this can still happen in the world's richest country. 

Merciful Lord, keep before us your special affection for the needy, and let this lesson sink deeply into the collective psyche of the comfortable.  The virus does not distinguish between "worthy" and "unworthy" people, and neither should we.  My family is relatively safe and comfortable only by way of the circumstance of our birth. Remind us that You love the entire human family, and that we can show gratitude for our lives by serving as your hands and hearts in a harsh world.  Amen