I can’t truthfully say that yesterday was the best of days for me personally. After three-months of having no in-person worship services at church, to be followed by three weeks of gradual recovery where about 30% of our mostly face-masked congregation ventured into a setting with chairs spaced six feet apart, it seemed like we where inching ahead.
Yesterday felt differently. I didn’t go to church. No one did. Yesterday’s service was available on You Tube. I watched the service Saturday night. I can’t say that I hung onto every word, but the content of the sermon is mostly etched in my memory.
A friend’s text message to me at noon last Tuesday was the introduction. The text stated simply: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God”. I repeated the line in my head a couple of times. I smiled with the thought. The next words appearing in the text interrupted my train of thought. The question was asked: “Are there any left?”
It does seem as though in any direction you choose look, you find dissension, conflict and unrest. I don’t have to highlight for you the lack of civility and respect that seems to surface on a daily basis. We are a warring people. The quest for power and control seems to take precedence in every dimension of lives.
The absence of peace in so many dimensions of our lives is troubling and debilitating. We are killing ourselves with our vindictive attitudes and disregard for folks who don’t represent a mirror image of ourselves.
Even in the Christian community – or perhaps should I say, “even more disturbingly in the Christian community”, I shake my head in shame and embarrassment to some of the things church-going-people choose to post on Facebook. God help us!
So why did we press the pause button on collectively meeting together for worship? It wasn’t a governmental mandate. Let me hasten to say, I don’t like the government telling me to what to do in my personal life. The General will tell you that I don’t like her telling me what to do either, but the reality exists that she often does.
But staying in place seems like a responsible decision since Texas is experiencing a dramatic spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. I prepared the written communication to the church cancelling services that went out on Saturday morning with the heartfelt expression that nothing is of more importance than the health of our family of faith.
While I knew that most would find the communication disappointing, they would concur with the decision. I also knew that not everyone would fall into that camp. Even in a community as small as Henly, you find differences of opinion over the need for facemasks and social distancing.
In the early days of the pandemic, the official communication from the CDC is that we didn’t need to wear facemasks unless we were sick. Some medical personnel even highlighted the fact that the primary advantage of wearing a mask would remind you not to touch your face. Face touching – yours or perhaps anyone else’s could be the start of trouble. Wash you hands and don’t touch your face seemed to be a safety net all were encouraged to follow.
The interesting thing about COVID-19 is that most of us have intuitively become experts overnight citing either the importance of face-masks or the stupidity of wearing them. There are people in both camps – it is true in our church – and it is true everywhere.
Like I said, we are a warring people and we will stand our ground on the side of whichever camp in which we fall. Yesterday, there was a peaceful protest at the Texas Capitol by approximately 150 un-masked people to protest against mask-wearing mandates.
The mandate for masks didn’t come from the Governor. Though he encouraged the practice, he didn’t make it an enforceable recommendation. The mandates for masks have come our way through local governments.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler issued an order that requires all businesses to enact plans for requiring facial coverings and social distancing. Any businesses caught violating the rule may face a fine up to $1,000 per day.
So, in Henly, America, yesterday, we didn’t meet for church. Approximately 150 un-masked people gathered at the Texas Capitol and Travis County recorded a record-breaking spike in positive COVID-19 cases that has more than doubled the daily rate of hospitalizations.
Before day’s end, I listened to a sermon my brother suggested I hear. Wow! I found it a source of encouragement. I went to bed in a much better mood than the one that greeted me when I awakened yesterday morning. Today is a good day!
All My Best!
Don