March 13th, 2021 (Mon in the fourth week of lent)

For today's readings, click HERE.

by Barb Hovey

March 15 was going to be one of those crazy, busy days. It was a Sunday so the day would start with choir rehearsal and church. I would have just enough time after church to catch lunch before a 2:00 pm matinee of the light opera I perform in each winter. A quick dinner, then a concert with my community concert band. I was going to be busy filling a day with things I love to do. Oh sure, I would be tired, but I would be satisfied.

But I am talking about March 15, 2020 so there were changes coming. On Friday the 13th, the concert venue cancelled our band concert. Also on Friday, the opera company had a successful opening night. But we decided that we would close after Saturday’s show and cancel performances the final three weekends. When I got home from the theater on Saturday, I had an email from Karla saying she did not expect the choir on Sunday because we sit too close to each other during services.

That crazy, busy Sunday became a crazy, eerily quiet Sunday. What was happening? How bad was this virus?

One line of today’s psalm says “Weeping may spend the night, but joy comes in the morning”. It is too early to declare we have reached that joyful morning. But after the initial shock, we have shown resilience. We care for each other by keeping physical distance. We show our love for each other by maintaining social connections through phone calls, Zoom meetings, recorded church and parking lot services. It feels like an unusually long Lenten season. But we can take care of ourselves and each other. Soon there will be a glorious day when we can meet in church and open the box of Alleluias that has been patiently waiting under the altar.