Life has been interrupted. Now there’s an understatement! We are living in an unprecedented time and doing our best to navigate unchartered territory. Our routines have been interrupted, our social interactions upended and now we’re into day five of sheltering in place. We have different reactions to all this and various coping strategies. Some of us are feeling isolated in our homes, and others of us are feeling overcrowded. But I imagine we all share in the roller coaster of emotions — worried, fearful, frustrated, anxious — it’s hard to find the ground, the center, or a soft place to land.
As a religious leader, people gravitate to their houses of worship for solace, support and community. In times like these, we need our spiritual communities more than ever. And yet, in our current crisis, that resource is unavailable to us in the same ways it has been in the past. For the first time in our 155 year history, the doors of my own congregation, the Congregational Church of San Mateo, are closed. That word “closed” is antithetical to our very reason for being, the antithesis of our mission. But there is another way to look at it. Not meeting together in a physical space is the most caring and loving thing we can do. In the Christian tradition, our fundamental value is “love your neighbor as yourself.” In this particular moment, social distancing is the way we put this into practice. I love my neighbor enough not to take a risk of potential exposure, especially to the elderly and most vulnerable in our community.
While social distancing is what is required in this time, we believe that there is no such thing as spiritual distancing. We are connected across time and space and love transcends physical proximity. In fact, if the old adage “absence makes the heart grow fonder” has any validity, then we will emerge from this pandemic stronger and more loving than ever. Our spiritual connection is crucial and that connection can be maintained in 100 different ways during this time.
I don’t offer any of this with a Pollyannaish attitude. It is born out of my experience. I was the pastor of a LGBT church in the 1990’s and I lived through the AIDS pandemic where young men in my church were dying at a rate of two to three every week. I know what it is to maintain hope amidst despair. I know what it is like to be afraid and to minister to people who are terrified. And what I also know is that we faced that pandemic with love, with hope, with resilience and with a zest for life at levels that I have never experienced since. I learned to cherish life, cherish love, cherish community. These pandemics are not analogous, but they do share the anxiety and fear that communities face.
So I am hoping that this current crisis will bring out the best in us. That we will emerge from this current isolation and enter into a deepened community. That we will take care of the vulnerable and the elderly. That we will reach deep into our hearts to extend compassion and kindness and deep into our pocketbooks to help bridge the gap for so many in our community who are living on the economic edge and now may be pushed over that edge. That we will be one another’s safety net whenever and however we can be.
We do not have the luxury of despair. Call those in your circles who are most isolated. Pick up groceries for people who shouldn’t go out of the house. Breathe when you feel afraid. Breathe in love and breathe out fear. Remember that you are not alone. Sri Ramakrishna says “The winds of grace are always blowing, but we must raise our sails.” So let’s raise our sails and become a kinder, gentler people for we are learning that we are truly all in this together.
Rev. Dr. G. Penny Nixon is Senior Minister at the Congregational Church of San Mateo.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.