{"id":901,"date":"2020-08-23T15:14:19","date_gmt":"2020-08-23T22:14:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/holydwelling.com\/blog\/?p=901"},"modified":"2020-09-09T20:25:05","modified_gmt":"2020-09-10T03:25:05","slug":"a-lament-in-the-season-of-coronavirus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/holydwelling.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/23\/prayer-of-the-heart\/silence\/a-lament-in-the-season-of-coronavirus\/","title":{"rendered":"A Lament in the Season of Coronavirus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Whitby Abbey, 1979<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When the Whole Creation groans in travail . . .<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

O Lord, in the agony of our affliction, how shall we live? *
     We long for the melons, leeks, and riches we once knew.
How shall we sing the Lord\u2019s song in this world become alien to all?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The streets empty and silent; children and laborers sent home; *
     We hide from the wrath of the virus.
Ahhhh….says the Earth: \u201cBe still: hear God\u2019s Voice in the silence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now young and old lay dying, *
     lungs gasping for life-giving breath.
Ahhhh\u2026.say the Birds: \u201cThe skies are blue, and we<\/em> will sing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now the seas rise up in great waves; *
     orchards die from thirst, and forests burn to ash.
Ahhhh\u2026.say the Wise: \u201cAll created things have their season.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have plundered the earth of her riches, *
     crafting idols by the might of our minds.
Ahhhh\u2026.says the Lord, \u201cHave no other gods before me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The homeless, hungry, and suffering, fill our streets; *
     We fear the stranger, and cast out the different.
Ahhhh\u2026..says the Lamb, \u201cAs you do to the least of these, you do to Me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Violence stalks our villages, slaughtering even our children; *
     rulers scorn our laws and steal the hearts of our people.
Ahhhh\u2026..says the Lord God, \u201cSeek the light and peace of My presence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fragments of memory slip away from beloved elders, *
     as historical monuments fall, giving birth to a cultural dementia.
Ahhhh\u2026.says our Master, \u201cDo this in remembrance of Me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How shall we teach our unborn children of God\u2019s holy mysteries, *
     when we have forgotten the stories of faith?
Ahhhh\u2026.says the Spirit, \u201cBaptize them, anoint them, break bread together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how can we baptize, bless, anoint, and comfort, *
     when we cannot touch flesh made in God\u2019s Image?
Ahhhh\u2026.says Thomas, \u201cDo not cling; trust my vision of the Risen Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The temples deserted, all rites suspended; *
     How shall we pray? How can Mother Church survive?
Ahhhh\u2026.says Christ Jesus, \u201cMy Holy Dwelling is within your own heart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O Lord, in your great mercy *
     lead us to the path of repentance,
     and be gracious unto our sins.
O Lord, in your great mercy *
     cleanse us of all our iniquities
     and purify our passions.
O Lord, in your great mercy *
     visit and heal our infirmities,
     and transfigure our souls by Your Love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

. . . that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, <\/strong><\/em>
nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ our Lord.
<\/em><\/strong>(Romans 8: 22\u202638)<\/em>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Rev. Susan Creighton, Anchorite
Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Theotokos, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the Whole Creation groans in travail . . . O Lord, in the agony of our affliction, how shall we live? *     We long for the melons, leeks, and riches we once knew.How shall we sing the Lord\u2019s song in this world become alien to all? The streets empty and silent; children and laborers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[53,50,49],"tags":[62,61],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\nA Lament in the Season of Coronavirus – Holy Dwelling<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/holydwelling.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/23\/prayer-of-the-heart\/silence\/a-lament-in-the-season-of-coronavirus\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Lament in the Season of Coronavirus – Holy Dwelling\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When the Whole Creation groans in travail . . . 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