“Neither this man nor his parents sinned;
he was born blind
so that God’s works might be revealed in him.”
—John 9.3
Sooner or later someone is going to say
God sent the coronavirus to punish
somebody (gays, probably, or maybe old people).
Baloney.
God is not a guy who does things like that.
God is not a guy.
God is Love.
Love is not a guy who causes things to happen,
like giving you a disease or a mishap
or a lottery ticket or a recovery from illness
as a test, lesson, punishment or reward.
Love doesn’t manipulate,
doesn’t force you to experience something.
Love isn’t in the past, settling accounts.
The pure, positive, life-giving energy of love is God.
Love doesn’t play games.
It just blesses, nourishes, provides, connects, delights.
In our difficulties Love is with us, suffers with us,
gives us energy to prevail.
And sometimes that energy overflows in healing.
Love’s works are revealed in blessing amid brokenness.
Ah! So Love will cure my troubles?
No. Love will love you though your troubles.
But what good is a god who can’t fix things?
A god who suffers our suffering and doesn’t stop it?
That is the question, and the answer, of the cross:
a God who will not stop crucifixions, but be crucified.
Such a suffering, forgiving, loving presence
is deeply healing, miraculously life-giving.
It puts us in touch with the very force of life
that causes us to live, to be healthy, to be whole.
And it opens our eyes to the work of Love.
We are experiencing the coronavirus
so that the work of love might be revealed.
If our eyes are open, we will reveal it.
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
March 17, 2020