March 22, 2020 First Sunday of the lockdown

 Psalm 23 has comforted people over centuries, which is why it feel appropriate that it is our regular lectionary Psalm for this day.  It is one of the most familiar and often used scriptures.  I’ve heard it at countless memorial services and celebrations of life.  I have read it by many bedsides over the years.  And I’ve opened my Bible to that page many, many times, as I’ve struggled and celebrated and walked through dark valleys.

The Lord is my shepherd…  The Psalm begins by centering us on God and what God does for us.  God shepherds us.  King David wrote this.  He had been a shepherd.  He had an inkling of what God does for us, by what he did for the sheep.  David knew sheep, that they knew the shepherd’s voice, that they trusted the shepherd.  And he knew the lengths the shepherds would go to, to protect their sheep and to find them when they got lost.  In times when we don’t know what to do, we look to our shepherd and know we aren’t alone. When other leaders scramble and do not know what to do, we look to God who knows us, loves us, and is full of love and grace.

I shall not want… We are very blessed, and yet we are in want.  We want each other’s company.  We want not to feel isolated and alone.  We fear what we will want—we fear losing our jobs, our income, plunges in the stock market, loss of health.  The one thing we are guaranteed is God’s love and presence, and that fills all our wants.  Let us consider others in greater want than we are—those who are vulnerable to illness, those who are grieving, those who are hungry or sleeping outdoors. 

                On Wednesday some neighbors stopped by with a bag of groceries for the FoodBank.  I thanked them and told them that we are expecting a shortage and that we have no bread to give out this week.  They returned an hour later with another bag of groceries.  They considered the want of others and took steps to alleviate that need.  They were angels in that moment, sharing from their plenty with those who are truly suffering.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside the still waters…  The waters are refreshing and calming.  In this part of the world, water is all around us.  The world may be in a crisis, but the waters still lap at the shore.  And the waters are a little cleaner and safer because humans are not rushing around polluting them.  The waters of our baptism have washed us and made us God’s own.  Again and again, God leads us back to that font.  Whatever else happens, we are claimed, we are part of God’s family.

He restores my soul… Restoration is always God’s plan.  Our world is a mess, we just don’t always admit it.  Now that it is so apparent, we can’t deny the injustices in our world, the ways we’ve neglected the poor, the holes in our healthcare system, our lack of willingness to cooperate around the world.  This is a chance to open our eyes and see the suffering that has been going on for so long.  This is a chance for restoration, for God to make the world anew into one that serves everyone.  People are sick and scared, but it won’t always be this way.  God has a plan for restoration that we are invited to be a part of.  This is death and resurrection.  This is new abundant life. 

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake… We are looking for answers, for direction to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe, but we’ve never been in this situation before and there are many things we just don’t know.  It is helpful to know that there are many righteous paths—not just one answer.  Righteousness is right relationship.  It is loving relationship.  One thing we can do that is loving is to keep from spreading the virus to others.  It is to stay home.  Another thing we can do is to give—be generous.  Find out the needs of our neighbors and find ways to help meet them while staying safe.  We can also be patient with those we are stuck indoors with.  And we can learn from this moment what really matters most.  We can evaluate our lives and see what is worth keeping and what hasn’t been serving us well.  Finally, we can take this time to look for God—in the good people are doing for each other, in the world around us, in our own family and friends, in laughter, music, art, and literature. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, The valley of the shadow of death is a place I have been many times and we all are there now.  The stories of illness and death, the fear of death is all around us.  But it isn’t just literal death—it is the end of the illusion of security, the end of “normal life” for a possibility of 18 months.  People are losing their jobs—my husband has work until April, then he will be laid off.  They risk losing their housing.  School is out for at least 6 weeks and maybe much longer.  Churches that are already skating close to the financial edge are concerned about paying staff, especially because many do not pay into unemployment insurance.  Furthermore, churches are scrambling to minister to their people without gathering people physically.  We are used to being together, and we don’t know how much time we will need to be apart.  We are used to visiting the sick.  We are used to having coffee and treats.  We are used to work parties.  We are used to having meetings.  This is all on hold while we try to find a different way to be church.  Church as we know it may be dying, but we have the promise that new life will spring up in it’s place.  God will raise us up and show us a new way.

Here is a turning point in the Psalm.  David changes from speaking about God, to God.  It’s no wonder, at times of great fear, when death is all around, that we get personal with God.

I will fear no evil, for you are with me… “Fear not!” These are the words of angels coming to well-known Biblical characters to tell them that life would be forever changed, but God was doing a new thing and life would never be the same—Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds.  Our angels are with us.  God is with us and near to all who suffer.  This “Fear not!” is an invitation to take a breath, to look around, to open the curtains of the house and let the sun shine in, to play with our pets, call a friend, make art, write a letter—do something to help someone.  Our fears may creep up on us, but we can defeat them if we take care of ourselves and take care of each other.

Your rod and your staff comfort me.  The shepherd’s staff is for guiding the sheep and for pulling aside the fleece to look for wounds.  Picture our shepherd tending to the wounds of the sheep, guiding us all forward toward new life.

You prepare a table… God is active, nurturing, feeding, preparing good things—a time of abundance and gathering back again.

In the presence of my enemies… We fight off a common enemy, a virus, a panic from a virus, injustice that is illuminated by a virus.  This is a virus that in time will be defeated, and thankfully we live in a time where people know what causes this illness and can develop a vaccine in less than 2 years.

You anoint my head with oil… This lotion was for the healing of the sheep, a balm for sores.  It is the oil that marks us at our baptism and seals us by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

My cup overflows…  Whenever I hold my hands up at communion in church, I picture a cup which God is filling with blessings.  This cup overflows to spread blessings all over the place.  Stop and count your blessings.  They are abundant.  Focus on your gratefulness for all you have and let those blessings flow through you to other people—a phone call, a gift, a letter, an offer to pick up groceries, an offer to take a walk together 6 feet apart, friendship, kindness, love.

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me, all the days of my life…Whatever else happens, we have God’s goodness and compassion.  They don’t just follow—the word is “pursue.”  God’s love pursues us, is persistent and unrelenting. Look for the good and you will find it.

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever… To be in God’s house, is to be close to God.  This is forever, not just our whole life long.  It is a comforting picture of warmth and closeness for all eternity.

We are all in God’s flock.  God relates to us, heals us, feeds us, leads us, and we all relate to each other, too.  We will learn to be God’s flock keeping our physical distance.  We can continue to live the values our shepherd has taught us in our new reality.  We can continue to be the flock.  God is faithful and we will be too.